by L. Ann Marie
She cracks up. Brenda comes down and I’m surprised by her outfit. “If Racks sees you in that he’s going to be pissed.”
“He has no say in what I wear.” There’s the attitude again.
Oh shit. I look at Jess. She raises her eyebrows, but doesn’t say a word. Following her lead, I check my purse for my gun and close it up.
“You can’t be serious. What are you going to do with a gun?” Why the hell is she so weird lately?
“I’ve always carried it. Now is no different.” She never did. No matter what my dad said she never wanted anything to do with guns.
“You can’t shoot it, you might as well just hand it to whoever you think is going bother you.”
I’ve had enough of the attitude. “I have no idea where all this negative is coming from. If you’re pissed at Racks be pissed at him. If you have something to say to me then say it. Stop with the digs and comments. I’ve been to the range and I’m fine to carry. Do you think Little Ben would let me if I couldn’t shoot the damn thing?”
She looks at Jess then me. “You’re right. He wouldn’t let you have it if he thought it could hurt you.” She walks out the garage door.
I look at Jess. “I hope Racks gets with the program. She’s no fun when she’s not happy.”
She looks at me for a couple of seconds. “I don’t think this is all about Racks. Don’t be too hard on her or him. She had a hard time dealing with you being hurt and no support from your family. She’s just learning we’re your family too.” She hugs me then pushes me to the door. “Go have some fun. I’ll call if I have any problems.”
“Love you Te Jess.” She laughs. It’s what I call her if I want to make her laugh.
Jess, Eliza and Sheila come out of Eliza’s smiling. They pile in and start talking all at once. They’re excited too. No one says anything about Brenda’s clothes and I’m happy to stay away from that subject. At the club Bob comes in with us. I saw Prince Security outside and rolled my eyes. With Sheila and Eliza we should be fine.
“This place is awesome. I love it here!” Jess tells Brenda.
I watch my sister scan the room and move to a table. They look at me and I shrug, I have no idea why she’s being so moody. I don’t think it has anything to do with me like Jess said. I order a Corona with lime and get a look from Brenda, but she doesn’t give me her opinion. Eliza has us laughing with Little Ben having her check on me because I was ‘bare assed’. I can’t help but laugh. He wouldn’t send a man to check on me knowing I’d be embarrassed.
“Of course,” Brenda says with that attitude. What the hell?
Sheila leans toward her. “Why don’t you just spit it out and save us a night of the fuckin’ attitude?”
“No matter what he does everyone thinks he’s perfect. I’m so glad I don’t live here and have to bow to the great leader Little Ben.” She’s one drink in so I know she’s not drunk.
“What has he done to you that you’re so pissed at him?” Sheila holds her hand up to stop me. “No, I want to know why my husband is on her damn shit list.”
Jess touches my arm. “I think she’s more angry at herself for not believing in him than him as a man.”
Brenda stands up. “Really! You think she would have been hurt if he didn’t order a missile to be shot down?”
Eliza stands in front of her. “She would be dead. The missile was locked on the Activity Center. She was there to warn the reading club because of the text she got. So him shooting the missile down saved nine and Lily got hurt instead of dead. Whatever your fuckin’ problem is, it’s yours. He didn’t launch the missile, he stopped it. Grow the fuck up and be happy your sister is alive. Through this whole thing you’ve been making comments and little digs because you didn’t believe she’d make it and make it doing fine. She’s here, she’s happy and she’s going to have a good time. If you can’t give her that go home. I’m not letting you slam her husband when he did nothing but good for her, their kids and our Club.”
“He never stopped running his precious Club. She was in a coma and he went to work like it was no big deal. No one tells her that!”
Sheila stands and I think she’s going to hit her. Shit. “He went to work giving you the time you needed. Get over it. All you did was cry and think the worst. No one wanted to be around that. He gave you your time and you’re still bitching.”
I wonder if that’s what’s up with her and Racks. “Brenda what exactly has you so upset?”
“You’re my only family and I almost lost you! No one cared!”
Sheila leans into her. “When the fuck did you decide we weren’t family anymore. Every fuckin’ day I came to see you. I sat with you. I listened to you bitch and you think I’m not good enough anymore to be your family? What the fuck ever!”
Brenda’s eyes fill with tears. “You came to see me?”
“It’s not like sleeping beauty was going to answer you. Of course I went for you. What the fuck Brenda?”
Jess and Eliza laugh. Brenda hugs Sheila and I’m smiling like a dork. My sister is friggin’ stupid sometimes and Jess was right. “Now we got the drama out of the way let’s dance!” Eliza says pulling on my hand. The girl loves dancing so we do. I’m dancing with Eliza and turn seeing Bob move closer to Jess. I slow just in time to see her hit a guy right in the face. Bob laughs and Jess starts dancing with Brenda and Sheila again. I crack up. What an awesome night.
At the table we’re laughing about Uncle Steve and Mitch in another equality war when a couple of guys move closer. Bob moves them along and stands with his back toward us like a damn sentinel. Eliza and Sheila tell us about Laconia last year and Bob moves away making us all laugh. The Brothers are wicked funny even if they don’t think so.
I’m a little tipsy, but need to pee. I get Sheila to come with me. She’s smiling too much to be sober. We laugh all the way to the bathroom. I have no idea why I’m laughing, which makes me laugh more. I trip and she catches me. “You okay little lady?”
“Oops you’re not Sheila,” I say to the guy holding me up. I try to move away but he doesn’t let me.
“Get your hands off her.” She sounds sober now and she looks pretty mad.
I move away without thinking and my foot scrapes leaving me a little off balance. “I got this Sheila. I wasn’t thinking about the movements.”
She nods giving me a smile. “You’re doing fine. Let’s move it before Bob shows in the bathroom.” I laugh and get pulled around.
Sheila’s gun is out and under the man’s chin. Damn she’s quick. “Move along or I’ll have to move you.”
A gun is at the side of the guy’s head now. Jeesh. I blink my eyes and see Bob. “Let’s go.” He sounds pissed and I’m afraid for the guy as Bob pulls him away.
“Why do men think they can put their hands on women whenever they feel like it?” Sheila asks and I’m glad she didn’t shoot the guy.
“I dunno, but I have to pee.”
She laughs pulling me into the bathroom. We make it back unscathed and decide to dance until I’m all danced out. Another round gets to us and I’m done. Water was delivered with every round but I’m out of practice. Sheila starts singing and Bob’s at our table. We all crack up and sing ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ with her walking out. I get all the high voices making everyone laugh. I think Bob even laughed.
***
Little Ben
We’re watching the club and Jessie is doubled over. Fuckin’ women. Darren is smiling. I’m just glad they got through it unharmed. Dakota says, ‘amen,’ in my head.
I shut the feed down and stand. Driscoll, Bull, Taylor and Brantley are watching a movie. We sit out on the deck.
It’s been a good day. We went fishing and caught our dinner. No talk of the Club or work made it good, just what I was hoping for – Brotherhood connecting us without work. Even Bull and Driscoll had a good time. I heard Bull on the phone with Deirdre telling her it was good to have the time with Brothers.
Taylor comes out. “Old ladies oka
y?”
Jessie tells him about Jess and Sheila then the singing. “Your old ladies can take care of themselves. You had nothing to worry about.”
“We were not worried, we just wanted to see them have fun,” Dakota says making us all laugh.
“Even Brenda was smiling by the time they left,” Darren tells him.
“Thank fuck. She’s been a pain in the ass. I thought Lily waking up would snap her out of it. I’m glad she made it back.”
I have nothing to say to this. I knew why she was pissed and couldn’t fix that for her. It’s something she had to work through. I’m glad too. They start talking shit about the hike tomorrow making me smile. ‘No worries’ pops into my head. A day of no worries was good. Two will be great.
Chapter Seventeen
Five days
Little Ben
Driscoll is getting pissed. I look at the Mayor. “We got your rapist within a week. Your PD has spent three months on this while he got cocky and escalated. I am not sitting here trying to convince you of what we can do for your town. You know it. I had reports delivered to you before the meeting so you can see it. If this isn’t what you’re looking for why the fuck am I here?”
“I’m not saying I don’t want you policing our town. I have a Chief that can continue to be a go between for the PD and you. He can report directly to me and advise the bikers.”
Dakota stands up. “You misunderstand Mr. Mayor. We will not be policed by your Chief who does not want to be without a job. He has money coming in that he is not willing to lose. The Princes will not take advice from a thief and do not need a ‘go between’, as you say. I am the Brother you will talk to directly. You know how this works and what you get. Do not waste time better spent running the towns we already work for. Yes or no? You have one minute to answer before we walk out and make the call to let your rapist loose.”
The Mayor looks at me. “You can’t just let a rapist loose. We need the evidence so we can charge him.”
I stand up. “Let your Chief know he has to collect it himself or the rapist will walk.”
Driscoll stands. The Mayor looks nervous. “I don’t play games and I don’t like people wasting my time.”
“Yes!” the asswipe says.
I lean over his desk. “Fire your Chief right the fuck now or we are out.”
He picks up his phone hitting one key and says, “You’re fired.”
Dakota almost laughs. “We have another meeting. In two hours you will have a press conference letting the people of this town know the Princes are your new PD. If you are smart you will have no problems from here on out. You are free to collect your money and perks from the waterfront expansion with our blessing.”
The Mayor pales. Driscoll turns to him. “I have officers ready to take over for the PD’s next shift. I will take care of informing the PD and handing out their assessment and training schedules. Any problems will be dealt with by Dakota. If there is a need he will inform you. At no time are you allowed to call me directly.”
The Mayor nods and we leave. Jesus why the fuck do we have to go through this every-fuckin’-time. “Tell me the next one doesn’t need a fuckin’ hand holding.”
Dakota laughs. “He was agreeing, he just needed us to be firm so he could believe we bullied our way in. It will make him happy to think like that. Our next Mayor is begging to get in. He leaves me a message weekly hoping this will be the week we accept. It is his lucky day.” He smiles and I laugh. Fuckin’ Dakota.
“Driscoll do you need to get to PD Security for this changeover?”
He smiles. “No Prez. I really do have the next shift covered.”
I nod and throw my leg over. We ride the fifteen minutes to the next town. The Mayor is at the door to his office as we climb the stairs in his old town hall. It’s a beautiful building and we all take a minute looking around while I tell him that.
Dakota is throwing me pictures of an argument. This is a good man fighting for good in his town. It’s about fuckin’ time we get a good one.
“Please come in. Thank you for taking us on. I have everything ready, our budget will be transferred as soon as we do whatever you need from me.”
I smile. “Tell me why you’re so eager to have us take over your department.”
He sits at his desk after we all sit. “The PD is bad. The criminals pay for them to look the other way. Our town is not safe for the decent people that live here. I thought the Outlaws were bad shaking us down, but the Police are worse.”
“How far up does your problem go?” Driscoll asks him.
“The Chief. I can’t get rid of him because he’s voted in. If I could prove he’s taking money I would have, but there aren’t enough good cops to get that proof.”
Dakota looks at me. “He has a flash drive in his center drawer that has the information the Mayor needs.”
I look at Driscoll. “Get it and start right away. Dakota get to the station and get rid of the bad cops. Don’t take anyone if you have a doubt.” They stand and walk to the door. I look back at the Mayor. “I’ll have your proof delivered after we make a copy. You need to announce that we are taking over and transfer the funds to Princes. I will have our treasurer contact you with the information. Dakota is who you call with a problem.” I put Dakota’s card down. “We have your town wired and as of two minutes ago under Prince Surveillance. We will remove your PD and the gang that is causing you problems. You can look at the stats, but I don’t believe you care.”
“I’ve seen what you do and want that life for our town. We deserve to live free without worrying about going out after dark. Living in fear is not living.”
I smile. I like this guy. “No, it’s not. It will get worse before it gets better, but we will try to be quick about it. You can announce the change in two hours. That will give Driscoll enough time to set his officers to take the next shift and get you your proof.”
He smiles and looks younger. “Thank you. If I can do anything to help just name it.”
“Joey will be in touch with banking information and Dakota will let you know if we need anything. Breathe easier Garrett, we got this.” I shake his hand and walk out. It really is a beautiful building.
People are clapping when I hit the door. I look around. Dakota is smiling on his bike. “They are happy for the change Prez.”
I smile. I’m getting that. This is the first time people are happy for the change. I’m glad the Mayor is getting this. We ride back to Security passing a shit load of PD on the way. Driscoll works fast. In my office I text him to let me know if he needs anything.
Lily crosses my mind. I hit one and wait for her to pick up. “Hi honey I was just thinking about you.”
I like the sound of that. “What were you thinking? If you make it good, I’ll be there in five.”
She laughs. “Since I’m in a meeting with everyone watching I’m going to have to take a rain check for at least thirty. I got a call from a Mayor asking for help with programs geared toward helping women be self-sufficient. He has quite a few low income areas that he’d like to educate and train if possible. Since Princes just took on his PD he thinks we’ll be at least a month away, but wants to get the programs set up so he can start it as soon as the neighborhoods are safe.”
“I’ll be there in thirty and go ahead with whatever you think would work for him. The town is eager for the change so it should be an easy transition.”
“I’m going now so we can set it up. I’ll be done when you get here.” I can hear her smile and I know she’s blushing. Fuck I’m hard already.
I get to my email and look at Patches’ list. Something for her. Fuck. It’s different and she’ll definitely like it. This works close enough to my timetable. With a plan working in my head I go through my email. We have trafficking Friday and I’m looking at helicopters on Monday. Fuckin’ Darren knows how to get it done. He’s got a truck from Providence with computers and tablets.
I make a list for Mayor Garrett. With him happy to get us
in, he’ll gladly take the truck for his schools. He’ll expect to pay for Lily’s programs. I need to get those numbers from her. We can run cash through his town and get paid on the books. With this settled I clear the rest pretty quick.
I call Joey with the information and plan for the truck and town. She’s got it covered and reminds me we’ll have more auctions to work with. I set up a meet with Jared and Jax for tomorrow at the garage. I need a bike for Bull and the numbers from Driscoll for bikes and trucks. With a list forming for Darren I head out grabbing what I’ll need for Lily. I hit my watch and lock my door. Darren is walking toward me. “I was just starting a list for you. Take the truck from the Bosses and see if we can get another. Joey reminded me of the auctions we can run through and I’ll need you to order the trucks for Driscoll once I get the numbers.”
“On it Prez. Ops just called me. People are gathering at town four. I’ll call if it looks like a problem.”
I look at my watch. “I’ll be back in forty.”
My Security is waiting by my bike. I take a second look at his bike. Jared is amazing. I don’t know how he does it, but the bikes are looking more futuristic every time I see them. “It’s a test bike. I’m allowed only in the yard. If you’re going farther, I need to switch it out.”
I look at him. Why would he take the test bike with me? “I’m in the yard.”
“They checked your schedule before I was called. I just wanted to make sure.”
I get on my bike and ride thinking no one will ever confuse Security with me. I ride classic old school most days and Security is on futuristic Ducatis. I have one, and I grew up training on the Ducatis, but I like the sound and feel of my classics.
“I’ll be about twenty.” He nods and waits at the door.
Deirdre tells me she’s in her office. I step through the door locking it behind me, but seeing her behind the desk, I’m hit with the memory of hoping to see her there again. I smile. She’s right where she’s supposed to be. “Just in time,” she says writing something and closing a file.