by L. Ann Marie
She comes out with her little outfit and the first thing I notice is her necklace. She wasn’t wearing it before. Sonofabitch! I need to make it good.
* * *
Penny
Digs let me pick the mansions I wanted to see, telling me a little about each. I picked Rosecliff because movies were shot there and I’d like to see where the Great Gatsby was filmed so I can watch the movie again and see it. Then we went to the Marble House because it’s crazy to build a whole house of marble in the north. How do you keep that warm in the winter? It turns out they couldn’t. Last is the Breakers because it is the biggest and most elaborate, plus Digs said one of the Vanderbilts died on a sinking ship because he gave his life jacket to a woman. He said he would have been a good Brother.
Digs knows a lot about the men who built the houses and the things they did from building railroads to starting auto racing and winning the America’s Cup. These were great men from their time. It is interesting and beautiful, but you can only see so much marble and gold leaf painted on ceilings before it isn’t so exciting anymore. I liked listening to Digs tell me the stories of the families more than the headsets that guide you from room to room. I know Mitch used to do tours here, but they cost hundreds of dollars for just one day. Digs was going to pay for that too! Jiminy!
When I said I’d seen enough Digs took me around to see all the outsides of the mansions then by the water. It’s a special drive right along the water and I loved it. I can’t believe he’s my husband and he’s so sweet. I was worried for nothing. Even with Tess saying it will be good I was worried. I shouldn’t have come out in a towel, but he wasn’t mad at me. He was just Digs. I keep playing his words over and over in my head. “You being sweet is all I want and you smiling is all I ever want to see.” He’ll protect me, fight for me, but mostly he’ll love me. Just like now. I feel free for the first time in forever. I guess I finally believe it’s real.
“Princess?” He waves his hand in front of me.
Oh dear, I didn’t hear what he said. “Sorry.”
He smiles. “Where were you with that smile?”
I giggle. “Being free. I think it’s the first time I’ve felt really free. Thank you.” I pull his shirt front to kiss him.
“I’ll take it,” he says when I let him go. “Come on, we can’t be tourists without seeing all the crazy shit people sell.” He pulls me away from the dock to an antique store and museum. My favorite place is the Life is Good store, even though he laughed because it’s a T-shirt shop. I still bought a shirt and I got him one too.
“You can make these cheaper than buying one,” he says as we leave.
“Yeah, but part of the money goes to charity. I should do that and I wouldn’t have to buy them from someone else.”
He stops and looks at me. “You could make a line of shirts and set aside the profits for a good cause. The Women’s Center is always looking for funding, but Kate won’t let the MC pay. She just did that big dinner thing to raise money for the self-defense classes.”
I’m surprised. “I could do that. You helped Amanda sell over the Internet. Can you do that for me too? I could help other women too.”
“Of course. Let’s go eat.” He starts pulling me along again, but I’m not seeing things. I’m thinking about a new line of shirts. I think I have the perfect theme and I’m getting excited. I can help the Women’s Center! I can’t wait to tell Tess. This is the best day!
While we’re eating, Digs’ phone rings. He hasn’t had a call since we’ve been here, so I pay attention. “You shitting me?” He listens then, “I’m on my way.” He hangs up and looks at me. “We need to get back to the yard.”
“Okay.” I stand up and he throws money down, grabbing my hand. He lets it go before we get to the door and touches his watch, then guides me out to an MC SUV.
Chet is driving. “Sorry to cut this short.” he says to me.
“It’s okay. I think we saw what we should,” I tell him, smiling. I can’t wait to start drawing up my new themed shirts. He laughs like I told a joke.
“Where’s my bike?” Digs asks. He’s not even smiling.
“Right up the road. Driscoll is waiting with it. He’s got some jeans for Penny. Security cleared the room,” Chet says all business now. Jiminy, it must be something bad.
When we stop Digs gets my pants and boots. They think of everything. He tells Chet to get out. He looks mad, so I pull them on fast. We get on his motorcycle and Driscoll rides on the side of us really fast. I hear more motorcycles behind us, but I can’t look back because I’m holding on tight. I never rode this fast and it’s a little scary.
* * *
Digs
Fuck! She’s scared and I can’t do anything but get us to the yard. I pat her arm, but she doesn’t loosen her hold on me. Rich is in my ear with Sticks, guiding us home. We avoid the highway because of the Outlaws, when all I want to do is take them down, but I can’t do that with Penny on the back of my bike. I need my gear too.
Rich: “Digs, come right to Security. We’ll transport Penny from here.”
Me: “Roger, LP2.”
Sticks: “I lose you for two and a half miles. You’re clear on the other side.”
Me: “Roger.” Since I’m Danny’s partner, I’m the lead here. It feels weird with Driscoll on the side of me. He’s been HS longer than I have, but he doesn’t seem to mind. I’m trying to think of why we’re off for so long. We don’t go five hundred feet before I hear a shot from behind. “What the fuck?”
Rich: “Digs, what’s going on?”
Me: “Shot fired from behind. HS12, who’s firing?”
Colby: “Truck coming right for us.”
Me: “Taking the next left.”
Sticks: “I won’t be able to clear your way.” He sounds nervous. Fuck! The hair on the back of my neck stands up. Two and a half clicks. Fuck!
We go left and I sign to Driscoll to shut his mic off then pull over. Penny finally lets me loose. I call Danny. “This is a setup. Watch Sticks.”
“How do you know it’s Sticks?” he asks as bikes are coming toward us.
“We got company, gotta go.” I pull my gun and head straight for them, firing. Driscoll stays with me, hitting the second bike. I turn and head back to the main road and ride like the wind back to Security. Penny has me in a death grip, but she’s safe and holding on.
Once we stop, I pat her arm. “You’re safe, princess. There’s a ride home for you arranged.”
“She’s going with Patches and Tess,” Danny says, suited up and ready to ride on the side of me.
She lets me go and slides off the bike. I grab her arm before she falls. “Jiminy and fiddlesticks, that was fast as heck!” We crack up. She went through someone shooting at us to me shooting and she was scared because of the speed.
“He rides just like you, LP, fuckin’ fearless,” Driscoll says. We look at him. “I can’t think riding like that. I don’t want to end up like Bob.” Fuck.
“Nothing wrong with that, Brother, but there isn’t a fuckin thing wrong with Bob except he’s Family Security, otherwise he’d be here. Our families keep getting bigger,” Danny says with a smile on his face, but his eye isn’t smiling.
Driscoll nods, but he isn’t buying it. Bob’s leg bothers him. That’s why he rides behind us all the time. He shouldn’t be limiting himself with thoughts like that, but now I know why he’s not Danny’s partner and gladly gives up the lead.
Rich comes out and man hugs me then Penny. “Glad you’re back safe. Fuckin’ pussy is in holding, whining about injustice. I need you loaded and ready.”
I kiss Penny and bring her to Patches and Tess. “I don’t know if I say good luck or what?” I smile. She doesn’t have one fuckin’ complaint.
“Tell him to ride like the wind!” Tess says from the front.
Penny looks at me with my smile on her lips. “Ride like the wind!”
I kiss her again because she’s fuckin cute. “Later, princess.” I hear Tess laug
hing as I’m closing the door. I run into Security and grab my gear.
“Use my office. Closer,” VP says. I walk by him to the bathroom and change, then set my guns and clips.
“No duct tape,” I tell him, opening the door. He walks around his desk and pulls a roll out of the drawer. I don’t even want to know why it’s in there. “Good call with Sticks,” he says, handing me the tape. I throw him chin and jog to the back door. I can’t think about that right now. My bike is ready and Danny’s waiting with Rich on the side of him. Shit, it’s going to get ugly.
I put my helmet on, hearing VP talking to Danny.
VP: “Got Bull and Darren on controls. New computers. Geek and Pres on the way.”
Bull: “I need check-in, HS team 1.” Shit, with Rich I don’t know the order.
Danny: “LP1.”
Rich: “LP2.” He fixed that.
Me: “Digs.”
Jessie: “Shadow.” I swing around and see Jessie throwing his leg over his bike. I’ve never ridden with him, but he wouldn’t be here if he couldn’t do it.
Rich: “About fuckin’ time. Thought I was going solo.” He’s Rich’s partner. He looks at me. “Fuckin’ good too.” He laughs. Fuckin’ LaPontes always laughing.
VP: “Roll on one.” We pull up to the exit and wait. “Waitin’ on team two.” I look back at the ramp.
“How did you know?” Rich asks.
I know he’s asking about Sticks. “His voice, then he said he had two and a half miles with no view. It’s only a half mile that’s not covered. I would have known anyway because when we took the left they were headed our way. They had no reason to be on a secondary, it’s highly populated. Any Outlaw up this way is new, wouldn’t know the roads like we do.”
He throws chin. He didn’t catch it. That feels good, because he usually sees everything. “It wasn’t until you cut us off that he thought about the Outlaws. When Dad called we already had him cuffed. I’m glad you caught it. Penny was on that bike with you. VP gave you first shot.” I nod. I’m going to take it too, fuckin’ douche. For years I listened to him whine, helped him with code, and taught him enough to get into HS. He puts my old lady in the path of fuckin Outlaws as a thanks.
Three bikes come flying up the ramp and file in behind us. A bike coming at us has us looking at the road. Little Ben in full gear with Ricky beside him fly by and spin around. Pres and Geek are behind them, going toward parking.
Bull: “HS team two, I need check-in.” Driscoll, Chet, little Ben, Colby, and Ricky check in.
VP: “Two’ll be on with Pres and Bull. Darren on boards. One’ll be Geek and me.”
Danny: “Thank fuck!” We all laugh.
VP: “One, roll on three, two, one.” Danny takes off and I take his side. Rich and Jessie follow. They stay right with us up the highway ramp and I think of Driscoll.
Bull: “Two, roll on Pres’ one. You’re switching over now.” I hear the click and know Pres is on with them and Bull switched the feed.
Geek gets us up to Bristol and we jump onto 136, giving us a straight shot to Newport. Rich and Jessie peel off and take out two at a bar not far from where I stopped with Penny. They catch us in traffic, rolling into Newport Common. There’s too many fuckin’ people and cars to have a gunfight here.
VP: “Taggin’ has four. Two blocks at the dockside keep to Thames. Then two a block after Marriott. LP2 and Shadow, on the two. Doubt they’re alone. Watch your back.”
Danny: “Roger, VP.”
Rich: “Roger, VP.”
We park off Thames and walk through people going to the waterfront. They must have something going on for all these people to be here. I know they were trying to draw people in once they realized Providence Water Fire was pulling in big crowds, but this is fuckin’ nuts. Newport isn’t set up for huge crowds. No parking and very few public bathrooms has always been a major problem here. We get to the next block and Geek guides us dockside toward another bar. Great. Drinking Outlaws.
“Looky here! Our geek came back. Where are your friends?” The pussy with an Officers cut says.
I’m wondering how they know me. Fuckin’ Sticks! Danny smiles at him. “Just us. Heard you were looking for my Brother. He doesn’t want to play with you. We thought we should tell you in person.”
I clench my jaw. The Outlaw isn’t amused. “We weren’t asking. He’s coming with us.”
Danny takes a step to the side. “You wanted to go with them?”
“Not going anywhere with fuckin’ Outlaws,” I tell him.
He positioned himself so the building is on his patch side. “I didn’t think so, but I wanted to ask.” He looks over at the Outlaw. Three are behind him. One is Tiny’s size, meaning he’s a fuckin’ giant. I’d like to take him down. “Yeah, so he doesn’t want to play with you. Now you know we’re going home.” He turns.
“The fuck you are!” the Officer says.
Danny turns back, aiming his gun at him. “See, this is a hell of a place for a shootout and you’re not even ready.”
“You can’t take us all down,” the smartass says.
I level my gun at him. “Sure we can.” He looks surprised.
“The way I see it is, you have two choices. You can get on your bikes and go home without my Brother here or you can be stupid.”
VP: “One comin’ from the side of the buildin’. Straight shot at eleven, Digs.” Danny pulls his second gun and I swing, shooting at eleven o’clock. Shit, VP is good.
The Outlaws move and Danny hits two. Giant moves to me and the pussy with the Officer at his feet pulls a knife. Danny is laughing, but I’ve got a giant coming at me, so I’m not looking to see why. Giant has no weapon, so I shoot. He’s still moving my way, but he’s too close, so I pull my knife and sink it in him just as his hands wrap around my neck. Putting my gun against his stomach, I aim up and shoot. Fuck, he’s falling my way.
Danny pulls him and he falls to the side. “Thought you’d die under him, didn’t you?”
“Fuck yeah! He’s as big as Tiny,” I say, catching my breath.
Danny: “LP1, clear.”
VP: “PD in from the road. Head to the water. Take the dock around to LP2.”
Danny: “Roger, VP.” We walk down the road as if nothing happened. This side doesn’t have many people and we only spent a couple of minutes outside the bar. Danny starts walking faster when we hear a woman scream. I shake my head. “Not like our women. Ours would just walk by hating the fuckin’ pussies because of their cuts. That reminds me VP, they had on Cincinnati.” He doesn’t miss a fuckin’ thing. I didn’t see that and I have two eyes.
VP: “Roger, LP1.” VP is guiding Rich and Jessie as we walk the long dock.
We get closer to Thames and see Jessie against a building. He moved out so we’d see him. If he hadn’t, I would have missed him standing there. Someone yells behind us and Jessie shoots.
VP: “Nice shot. Wasn’t tagged.” I look around and see the cameras on the building. Rich comes out the back door of the building, wiping his hands on a towel. As he’s walking over to us, he throws the towel on the dead guy.
Rich: “LP2, clear.”
VP: “Roger, LP2. Come in. Team two is clear. No Cleanup.”
Danny: “Roger, VP.”
Rich and Jessie go right and we go left on Thames. “Nice night,” Danny says, but his voice is monotone.
I look back and see two inked pussies about fifty feet back, then look at him. There is no fuckin’ way he saw that without turning around. “Two behind, fifty feet.”
“Two in front about a hundred,” he says. I know he doesn’t see depth well, so I look to see where he’s looking. He’s right.
“Yeah,” I tell him.
VP: “LP2, four closin’, in the crowd around LP1.” I pull my knife and palm it so the blade is up. Rich taught us how to fight just like this and I’m hoping I remember what the hell to do when I need it.
Rich: “Roger, VP.” I hear the bikes and see them fly by on two wheels. The c
rowd is turning to the road, clapping. They spin and block the road, making a circle. People walk in the road, thinking it’s a show. Crazy. The Outlaws are a good twenty-five feet away, but I hear boots behind me.
VP: “Back to back, LP1.”
Danny: “Roger.”
I spin as someone touches my shoulder and slice his arm. He backs away, holding it with his other hand, no weapon. The other pussy throws a punch and I duck, coming back up with an uppercut, then I slice down. The guy falls and all I can think is Rich is fuckin good. The first pussy comes at me, growling. I never understood that. It lets me know the intent before he’s close enough to touch me. We were always taught to be as quiet as possible, focusing our energy on breathing and anticipating the guy’s next move. “Fuckin’ geek he told us,” he growls out, swinging. I step to the side and swing my arm wide then down, slicing the back of his arm. That’s going to hurt. He pulls it back, growling louder, then rushes me.