by Erin Osborne
“You know she’s a minor, right?” I ask, leaning up against my bike while I wait for everyone to come out.
“I know. She’s the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen though. Irish, don’t worry, I know not to touch her. I won’t cross any boundaries. I promise.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Grim and the rest of the guys come outside. I know that they need a breather as much as I do. You could feel the rage rolling through the room as Whitney was talking. Most of these guys are going to want to protect her and make sure she’s not touched, that Sami isn’t touched, as much as I do. I’m going to make sure that I’m the one that’s around the most though. And I can pretty much guarantee that Goose is going to feel the same way.
“Alright, we got the fucker’s name. Tank, I want you to run it as soon as we get back and start gatherin’ information on him. Put a file together and get it to me so we can go over it in church. Goose, start unloadin’ their car and ask them where they want their things. Now, we’re goin’ to have men here around the clock. Who wants to volunteer?”
“I want to be here as much as possible,” I speak up without a second thought.
Grim takes a second to think this over. “You sure?”
“I am. And I want Goose here with me.”
Grim and the rest of the club look over at Goose where he’s unloading Whitney’s car. Goose is staring at me with his mouth hanging open. After my little speech about Sami being a minor I’m sure he never thought I’d be saying I want him here with me. But, if I’ve learned anything it’s that he’s going to do what he has to in order to protect Sami if he’s interested in her at all. Even if they can only ever be friends. Hopefully she doesn’t rip his heart out when she leaves. If they leave.
The guys all pretty much volunteer to help do round the clock security. I get the day shifts so I can be with Cassidy during the night. I’ll have to talk to Bailey and the girls about keeping an eye on her while I have to be here. Or maybe, once I get to know Whitney and Sami better, I’ll see if Sami wants to earn some money and watch her while I’m here or on other club business.
Goose, the new prospect, and I come up with a game plan to ensure the entire house and property are covered while we’re here. I’m going to stay out front so I can watch for any cars driving by or pulling in the driveway. There’s not going to be anyone coming here that I don’t know about. If I sit on the porch for part of my stay here, I can also watch the girls inside and make sure they’re okay. It’s just a babysitting job, I keep trying to tell myself.
Chapter Seven
Sami
WE’VE BEEN HERE A FEW weeks now and I notice the same guy that was watching the bikes is here on a daily basis. I try to watch him without being obvious about it, but I know my mom knows that’s what I’m doing. Hell, I chose the bedroom in the back of the house just so I could sit on my bed and watch him pace back and forth. Yesterday I found a folding camp chair and set it out there for him in case he wants to sit down or something. I’m not sure if he can, but it’s there none the less.
I’m cleaning up my room, not that it’s messy, with the windows open and the music blaring. State of my Head by Shinedown is playing and I’m singing along to the song. Before we left my dad, I could never do this. There were a lot of things I could never do before my mom found a way to get away from him. I know that it would’ve been a hell of a lot sooner than what it was if he didn’t keep threatening to sell or kill me. Instead my mom bided her time and took beating after beating to protect me.
“Good song,” I hear yelled in the window.
“What?” I ask, turning down the radio a little bit and moving closer to the window.
“I said, good song.”
“Oh. It’s one of my favorites,” I tell him shyly. “So, I know you know my name is Sami, but I don’t know your name.”
“It’s Goose,” he tells me coming even closer to the window.
“Really?”
“Yeah. When the little ones in the club want to play duck, duck, goose I’m the one they come running too. So, the guys thought it would be funny to make my road name Goose.”
“Funny guys,” I tell him, trying to contain the laughter threatening to burst out.
“You can laugh, it’s okay.”
That’s all it takes for me to let loose. The laughter bursts out and I can’t get myself back under control. It feels so good to just laugh and not have to worry about any repercussions for being too loud or having fun. The thought sobers me a little, but I still chuckle at the image of this man playing a child’s game.
“How old are you?” I ask him.
“I’ll be turning eighteen soon. How about you?”
“I’ll be sixteen next week.”
Goose looks at me and I stare back at him. I’m finally taking a good look at the guy I’ve been watching for weeks. He’s tall and you can tell that he’s got muscles from hard work and not hitting the gym. His hair is black and on the longer side, hitting just past the nape of his neck. With him being close enough for me to finally see his eyes, I can see that they’re hazel with what looks like little golden flakes in them. Eyes that someone could get lost in. I don’t see any tattoos like I’ve seen on the rest of the guys in the club, but that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have any.
“I have to behave myself around you,” he says suddenly, trying to back away a little bit.
“Please don’t leave,” I all but beg. “We’ve just started talking and I like having someone to talk to that’s closer to my age.”
“I’m not leavin’ you, I’m just tryin’ to put some space between us. There’s a pull I feel towards you, felt it since I first laid eyes on you at the gas station. Nothin’ can happen and I’m goin’ to make sure it doesn’t.”
There’s nothing wrong with his logic. It’s completely rational and I know that we need to only be friends, but I feel the same pull that he’s feeling. I’m just not sure what to do about it. Goose is saying we can’t do anything about it and I know we can’t. He’d get in trouble because he’s already eighteen and I’m not quite sixteen yet.
“That doesn’t mean we can’t talk and hang out does it?”
“No. We just need to make sure nothin’ happens.”
“I can do that. If you can?” I ask him, almost daring him to tell me he can’t.
“I can.”
Goose and I keep talking while the CD I burned continues playing in the background. We talk about everything and anything while sitting on opposite sides of my window. I’ve honestly never had so much fun in my life. If I’m not careful, Goose is someone that I can see myself falling for. He’s easy to talk to, doesn’t make me feel stupid for what I say and feel, and he makes me laugh. That’s not something I’ve ever had before.
Goose
I didn’t think that today would turn out with me talking to Sami for hours. But, that’s what happened. I’m supposed to be watching out for them, and I am, but I’m enjoying talking to her too. What first caught my attention with her is the air of innocence surrounding her and then her looks. Sami is curvy in all the right places already. She has long chestnut brown hair with eyes the color of warm chocolate. Sami isn’t like most of the girls her age, worrying about her weight and trying to get skinny. There’s more to her than skin and bones and she’s absolutely gorgeous.
Not touching her is going to be hard as fuck. Especially the more I talk to her and get to know her. She’s got a sense of humor, good taste in movies and music, I can let go and be myself with her, and there’s no pressure to try to get in her pants. Maybe because I know nothing can happen. Maybe because for once, it’s nice to talk to a female that doesn’t have an ulterior motive for talking to me. She doesn’t see me as an in to the club and the guys that hold ranks. Sami genuinely seems to like talking to me for me. This job just got a lot easier and harder at the same time.
“Well, I better start walkin’ around some more. If you need anythin’ let me know. I’ll be back and f
orth like usual. Thank you for the chair, by the way.”
“You’re welcome. If you need a drink or anything else, just let me know.”
I nod my head and turn around to walk away. Sami has been a constant fixture in my head since I first laid eyes on her. No matter what I do, I can’t seem to get her out of my head. The club girls hold no appeal for me. Not that I’ve been with more than one or two since I turned eighteen and started prospecting for the club. Tank ended up being a God send when he found me just after I ran away from my latest foster home earlier this year. I’ll never be able to thank him for changing my life and making it so I have a family that won’t ever abandon me.
Whitney
In the weeks that we’ve been at the house, I can’t help but notice the main men watching over us are the young man that caught my daughter’s eye and the man that had the outburst when I was telling them what my story was. The young man is always watching out back and the other one is always out front. Most of the time I see him sitting on the front porch. He’s not slacking by any means, he’s still always scanning the surrounding area and making sure that no one is coming down the driveway.
I’ve just made some iced tea and I wonder if he’d like a glass. I never see him drink or eat while he’s out there and I feel bad that I’ve never offered him anything. So, maybe I should take him a glass out and see if he needs anything else. At the very least maybe I can get to know him a little bit since he’s the one watching over my daughter and I.
After pouring him a tall glass and adding ice, I grab the sugar since I don’t know how he would drink it and make my way out the screen door. He looks up and sees me walking out with two glasses and the sugar filling my hands. So, he jumps up to grab something from me.
“Thank you,” I tell him.
We set the glasses and sugar down on the little table between two rocking chairs. This is my favorite part of the porch and I really don’t get to enjoy it because one of the men from the club are usually sitting out there. But, I’m about to take a stand for myself and come out here when I want to come out here. The man and I each sit down on a side of the table and sit in silence for a few minutes. Until I realize that I still haven’t ever really heard his name mentioned. If it was said the day I got here, there was a lot of excitement going on and I don’t remember.
“Can I ask you something?” I ask, hesitantly.
“Yeah.”
“What’s your name? I don’t remember ever hearing it and if I need something, it might be a good idea to know who’s name to call out.”
I can see the laughter twinkling in his eyes as I finish speaking and I think back to what exactly just came out of my mouth. Oh my! I can’t believe that the end of that statement could actually be taken sexually. It’s been so long since I’ve thought about sex that it doesn’t even cross my mind anymore. So, to know that he’s taking that statement in a sexual manner is embarrassing.
“My name is Irish,” he finally responds after clearing his throat.
“It’s nice to meet you Irish. I want you to know that I can’t thank you enough for what you’re all doing to help my daughter and me.”
“Don’t mention it. I’d help you even if it wasn’t somethin’ the club was doin’.”
I take a minute to absorb that information. “Well, that glass of tea is for you if you want it. Did you need anythin’ else?”
“Thank you for the tea. No, I don’t need anythin’ else. Well, I was goin’ to talk to your daughter about somethin’ that would make my life easier and put some money in her pocket.”
“What’s that?” I ask, my mama bear senses kicking in.
“I am a single father now and I have a daughter that’s just over a year old. I was goin’ to talk to her about the possibility of her babysittin’ while I’m here. The girls of the club have been watchin’ over her, but it’d be nice to have her close by.”
“I don’t see why she wouldn’t do it. I’m sure she’d like to earn some money. I’ll send her out in a little bit to talk to you more about it.”
Irish nods his head and I stand up making my way back in the house. I need to start thinking about what we’re going to do for dinner. And, it’s been awhile since I’ve baked anything, so I think I’m going to get back into that too. Carl never wanted me to bring anything fattening or sweet into the house, so I gave up one more thing that I loved to do in lieu of getting my ass beat.
Heading into the kitchen, I hear Sami’s music coming from her room. It’s a sound that I missed for so long, and it’s a nice change of pace to hear life in a house instead of the perpetual quietness Carl insisted on. I find myself dancing around the kitchen as I listen to Sami’s music. She’s got a mix going of different kinds of music and I love it all. Music is something I used to love listening to and I forgot how much I love listening to it.
After a few minutes, I can feel someone’s eyes on me. I don’t think much of it, just assuming that Sami came in to get something to eat. When a few more minutes passes by and she’s said nothing, I turn around and a scream erupts from me. Irish is standing there, watching with some look in his eyes I can’t decipher.
“I’m sorry. You just caught me off guard,” I say apologetically.
“No, I’m sorry. I should’ve let you know it was me instead of watchin’ you silently. It’s just been a while since I’ve seen someone let go and dance the way you were without a care in the world.”
“Oh.”
I’m interrupted by not only Sami running in the kitchen to see what’s going on, but the back door bursting open and the young man holding a gun in front of him. He’s looking around trying to see where the threat is. Until his eyes land on Sami, Irish, and then myself. Slowly he lowers the gun and goes to head back outside.
“Goose?” I ask, stopping him.
“Yes ma’am?”
“Please, it’s Whitney. Since you both will be here when dinner is ready, I’d like to invite both of you to a home cooked meal. I don’t see any reason you both can’t come inside for a little bit. And I think it’d be nice to have some company.”
I watch as Goose looks at Irish before answering. I’m not sure what sort of silent communication they’re sharing, but it must be something positive. Goose nods his head yes before returning to his position outside. I’m not sure if this was a wise decision, but we’ll find out later on tonight. Now, I have to decide what we’re going to have for dinner and dessert.
“Thank you for the invite,” Irish says. “Sami, do you mind if I talk to you for a few minutes?”
“Um…” she starts looking at me. I nod my head before she continues. “sure.”
I watch as Irish and Sami head outside and I know he’s going to be asking her about watching his little girl. It’s going to be different to have a little one around again, but I’ll bet between the two of us, we’ll be in heaven. I love kids and Sami always wanted to babysit the neighborhood kids, but wasn’t allowed to. So, I’m sure she’ll jump at the chance to watch Irish’s little girl.
While they’re outside, I look at the calendar and notice that her birthday is in a few days. My heart breaks that she won’t be able to have a normal sweet sixteen party. More than likely it will just be her and I doing something at home. Unless I can convince whoever is sitting with us that day to go out to the Corner Café or something. Just so we’re not sitting in the house on her birthday. I wonder where the closest mall and movie theater are? We could always try to make a day of it. If the guys don’t mind. Maybe if I explain the situation to Irish he’ll find someone that would be willing to go with us for the day. I’ll have to remember to talk to him about it after dinner.
As I look in the refrigerator, I decide to make baked chicken, mashed potatoes, peas, and crescent rolls. Then I’ll make chocolate peanut butter bars for dessert. Sami always loved them growing up and it’s been awhile since I’ve been able to make them for her. Which is another thing I have to figure out, how I’m going to get her a cake. I’ll have to m
ake a list of things to do and get for her birthday. One way or another I will make the day special for her.
Irish
After getting caught watching Whitney dance, I wanted nothing to do but sit and think about why she was threatening to get under my skin. It hasn’t been long enough since losing Caydence to even entertain the idea of being with someone else. Has it? It doesn’t really matter though because I need to focus on Cassidy and her needs right now.
As soon as Sami and I get outside and take seats in the rocking chairs, I take a minute to gather my thoughts before talking to her. I’m not sure if she’s going to go for watching my daughter or not, but we’re about to find out. I look at her and I can see the questions in her eyes.
“Well, Sami, I wanted to talk to you about watchin’ my daughter. She’s just over a year old and I’d pay you to watch her while I’m here watchin’ over you guys.”
“I’d love to!” She says, practically jumping in her seat.
“You don’t have to. I was just thinkin’ it would give you some spendin’ money and somethin’ to do until school starts up next month. Or until you guys decide it’s time to move on.”
Sami sobers at the reality that they may not be here that long. I’ve seen the looks between her and Goose and I know she’s hoping to stay here longer than her mom might be. I’m not saying that just because of Goose, I think she just wants to settle down and be in one spot. Especially once we take care of the threat of her dad.
“Since we’re stayin’ for dinner, I was thinkin’ of havin’ one of the girls bring her over. This way I’m here so you can get to know her a little bit. How does that sound?”
“We’d both love it! Mom and I love kids and it’s been so long since it’s been more than just her and I.”
Every time I talk to Whitney or Sami, I find more and more reason to hate the motherfucker that put them through the ringer. Not only did he buy a fourteen-year-old girl, but he put them both through hell. I don’t have any clue how Sami is as sweet as she seems to be. And Whitney seems like the type of woman that wants to help everyone around her no matter the cost to herself. I think I’m in trouble here.