by Brook Wilder
Jackrabbit raised his hands and after a moment, a hushed silence fell over the clubhouse. All eyes turned towards him. He looked out over the crowd, making eye contact with each and every single member of the crew that was there. Some looked away guiltily. Some stared right back, the light of challenge gleaming in their gazes.
Finally, Jackrabbit let his hands fall to his side before he continued. “Roadburners! You may have heard that there was an attack today on one of our own.” He pointed to the injured man that Harlow was helping. A rumble of discontent moved through the crowd.
“You may have even heard that it was Finn that was behind the attack. Well, it’s true. He was.”
“Kill him!”
“Deal with him!”
The crew erupted again, shouting out their disgust and dissatisfaction and Jackrabbit let them rant for a long minute before raising his hand and calling for silence once more.
“Listen, we will stop Finn and whatever he might have planned for us. I know him. I know his weaknesses. And I know that together we can stop this son of a bitch for good! So keep your eyes open. Stay on guard. And remember to fucking look out for each other. We’re a family! We aren’t afraid of anything or anybody! We’re the god damned Roadburners!”
A loud cheer rang through the crowd again, this time all in support of him. Jackrabbit shook his head. He was always amazed the power that a few words could have to change men’s heart and minds. He’d seen it plenty of time fighting overseas. Men in battle needed leaders, and they needed leaders they could follow. They were about to head into one hell of a battle. They just didn’t know it yet.
The sounds of cheering were still going on, though slightly dimmer now. The tension that had choked the clubhouse before seemed to lift—if only slightly. Jackrabbit jumped off the chair to find Harlow waiting for him.
“That was good, what you said.” Harlow said, too softly for anyone to overhear. “You fooled them, but I can see that you’re still worried.”
Jackrabbit nodded again, not offended at the other man’s words. Harlow was good at reading the undercurrents of the situations. That was part of the reason why he made Harlow his second in command.
“A few words of encouragement might work for these guys but it doesn’t do a damn bit of good to me.” Jackrabbit gave him a pointed look. “I doubt it does for you either.”
Harlow shook his head. “No. I’m more of an action type.”
“You want action?” Jackrabbit leaned in close so he could speak under his breath, “Find Finn. And find out what the fuck he’s planning before one of us ends up dead.”
Harlow nodded slowly. Without another word, the two of them turned and left the clubhouse the same way they came in.
CHAPTER SIX
“Here, Rabbit.” Hatchet said, his drawl sounding thicker now that he was adjusting to life as a rancher. “Have a drink of something cold.”
Jackrabbit gratefully took the beer, the bottle instantly glistening with condensation in the choking afternoon humidity. Texas was settling into that familiar summer heat that left everyone on edge, including himself. Every one of the Roadburners seemed to be looking over their shoulders, and he couldn’t blame them one bit. Not with the news they’d all just learned. They all had targets painted on their backs. And it was starting to piss the hell out of him.
But damned if he knew what to do about it. That was part of the reason that he was there, at Hatchet and Elsie’s ranch instead of at the clubhouse. His friend needed to know what was going on, and even more, he needed some level headed advice about what the hell to do with it. There was no one better for that than Hatchet.
“I see married life agrees with you, and your belly. Looks like you’ve put on a few pounds since you left the club.” Jackrabbit joked with a grin that Hatchet matched, finally just shrugging.
“These things happen.” His old friend laughed, looking around with a satisfied expression hanging on his features. Jackrabbit had been messing with his friend, but he could see the truth there. Hatchet was finally happy. Now, he wished he could say the same for himself but that was another story entirely.
Hatchet’s smile widened even more as he turned it back to Jackrabbit. “Being married isn’t at all what I thought it would be. I thought it would tie me down but for the first time in my entire life, I’m free. And it’s all because of Elsie.”
“Well thanks for the suggestion but no thanks. I think I’ll keep to the single life for a little while longer.” Jackrabbit said with a mock shudder that wasn’t as mock as he pretended before taking another long pull from his bottle of beer, draining half of it before setting it down again.
“I don’t know, Rabbit. I think you should give it a shot. It changes you.” Hatchet said, his grin widening even more at Jackrabbit’s grimace. “What about you and the Sheriff’s daughter? Rachael, right?”
Jackrabbit nearly spat out the gulp of beer in his mouth and it took all his willpower to keep himself from coughing. He gave his friend a hard stare. There was no way he knew about Rachael and the baby, was there? Was he just fucking with him?
But after a moment it was obvious to him that Hatchet was oblivious of the sudden turn that things had taken. He was still looking at Jackrabbit expectantly until Jackrabbit finally shrugged and forced a devil may care grin to his face, hoping that Hatchet wouldn’t see through it.
“Yeah, Rachael.” God, it made his chest tighten with emotion just to say her name out loud, “We are… Well, it’s a little complicated right now.”
“Isn’t it always complicated with you and your relationships? I swear you do it on purpose just to give yourself an excuse to walk away when things start to get real.”
“That’s not true.” Jackrabbit said, but there was no bite to his words. It was hard to be offended by the truth, even if he didn’t want to admit it. And he didn’t have to, at least not out loud.
To distract his friend from asking any more uncomfortable questions about him and Rachael, Jackrabbit leaned forward, his expression growing suddenly serious.
“Listen, Hatchet I didn’t come here to talk about your love life, or my own.” He took a deep breath before glancing around one more time just to make sure they were alone.
Hatchet must have caught on to some of his unease because he sat forward with an intense expression on his face as he spoke.
“What’s going on, Rabbit? Did something happen?”
“Yeah, you could fucking say that.” Jackrabbit said. “Finn came after one of my guys. Tore a nice neat hole through his shoulder. It was a warning shot.”
“What kind of warning?” Hatchet said after Jackrabbit grew silent for too long. Rabbit took another deep breath. He hated draggin his friend back into this shit but he couldn’t see any way out of it.
“That he’s back and he hasn’t forgotten shit. He’s going after any and every member of the Roadburners.” Jackrabbit shook his head in disgust and then downed the rest of his beer in one bitter gulp, “We might as well have targets painted on our fucking backs. I thought you’d want to know, Hatchet. Finn might be gunning for the former members as well. He might not be particularly choosy with who he’s got between his crosshairs.”
Hatchet just shrugged. His expression relaxed in a way that infuriated Jackrabbit. The man had to understand what a dangerous situation this was. He more than anyone else knew Finn, and he also knew exactly what the man was capable of.
“Finn’s problem was with Mad Dog and Elsie put that bastard down like the rabid animal he was.” Hatchet took another lazy pull from his beer suddenly Jackrabbit wished he hadn’t finished his so quickly.
His throat was tight with worry. It had been ever since he’d gotten word from Harlow that Finn had fallen off the grid. They had no idea where that asshole was and there was no better tracker than Harlow. If he couldn’t find Finn, then it was likely that he went underground. Hiding, planning, and waiting for the perfect moment to strike. If there was one thing that unnerved Jackrabbit, it was
patient people.
“Just be careful, alright?” Jackrabbit finally said. If Hatchet wasn’t going to listen to reason about himself, maybe he would about his wife. “He might come after Elsie, too.”
Hatchet’s eyes sharpened to steel at his words but before he could make an answer another voice spoke up first.
“Who might come after Elsie?” It was the lady in question herself and Jackrabbit had to bite his tongue on a groan before forcing a wide smile to his face to face her.
“Elsie! What a surprise!” Jackrabbit said through gritted teeth.
“Oh, I’m sure it is.” Elsie gave her husband a look that was pure sunshine but a hard blue gaze when she turned it back to Jackrabbit. Her brows were knitted together as she glared at him from where Hatchet couldn’t see her and all he could do was wonder silently what he did to piss her off.
Jackrabbit was amazed at the transformation as she turned back to Hatchet—nothing but honey and smiles once more.
“Hey darlin’, I need you to go check on that stall in the barn out back. It was giving me fits this morning.” She asked, her voice laced with sugar.
Jackrabbit nearly gagged as he watched his best friend, the same guy who’d been side by side with him while bullets snapped overhead—both overseas and back at home, practically melt at his wife’s petite feet.
Hatchet rose, about to go but cast one uncertain look towards Jackrabbit. “Elsie, you sure this needs to be done right now?” He started but Elsie interrupted him with a kiss.
“I’m sure.” She smiled sweetly up into his face, “Don’t you worry. I’ll keep Jackrabbit here company while you take a look. This won’t take long.”
Jackrabbit had to bite back another groan. Whatever ‘this’ was, it wasn’t going to end well for him, he already knew that beyond a shadow of a doubt. That was confirmed when Hatchet left and the sweet smile on Elsie’s face transformed into a formidable scowl.
He quickly stood up. Maybe it wasn’t too late to make a graceful exit. He watched as her blue eyes began to burn with an angry fire and her brows lowered once again into a fierce glare directed straight at him. Forget graceful. He’d take any kind of exit he could. But he barely made it two steps before she was planting herself directly in his path again, her hands balled into fists on her hips.
She was a little thing, barely five feet tall compared to his six but still it seemed like she was staring down at him from a great height. It would have been hilarious if it wasn’t so damned terrifying.
“Elsie, come on now. What is this all about?”
“You know damn well what this is about, Jackrabbit.” Elsie spat out before taking a step forward, her fists still planted on her hips. He took a step back before he drew himself up to his full height. He wasn’t about to let her boss him around the kitchen.
“Well, obviously I don’t know.” He said. “Or we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
“Rachael, you idiot!” Elsie groaned before she lowered her voice to a hiss with a quick look over her shoulder. “And the baby!”
“Christ, she told you.” It wasn’t a question. Rachael and Elsie were best friends. He should have guessed that Elsie would’ve been the first person Rachael told. He wondered briefly who else knew, besides her and every single one of the Roadburners, that was.
“Of course she told me.” Elsie huffed. “The real question is: what are you going to do about it?”
“Do about it?”
“Yes, Jackrabbit, what are you going to do?”
“I—” He trailed off, at a loss for words. Because the honest truth was that he didn’t have a god damned clue. That same question had been running around like a wily fox in the back of his head since he found out but damned if he knew the answer. All he could do was tell her the truth.
“I don’t know, alright? I just…I don’t know.” He finally said softly. Elsie stared at him for so long that he expected her to start yelling at him. But then her glare softened and the look she gave him was almost empathetic. Almost.
“She’s going to need you, Rabbit. She might not ask you, she’s stubborn as hell, but she will.” Elsie said earnestly.
Jackrabbit nearly snorted. Him, help her? Rachael Donohue was the most capable, strong willed person he knew. He sincerely doubted that she would ever need his help. And that was part of what made this mess so damn confusing. Because he knew the truth: she didn’t need him. And even more, would she even want him with all of his baggage and hang ups?
They had been fine doing the no commitment thing. They were both comfortable with that. Now, he was so far out of his depth that it was a wonder he hadn’t already drowned. Maybe he had already. Maybe that was what that light, fuzzy headed feeling he got whenever he thought of Rachael and their baby was.
“Promise me you’ll take of her, Jackrabbit.” Elsie’s voice interrupted his thoughts and he stared at her for a long moment before taking a deep breath and nodding.
“I’ll try, I swear. I’ll try my damnedest.”
“Do more than try, Jackrabbit.” Elsie pleaded. “Just do it. Take care of her. Be there for her. She needs you, remember that.”
Panic hit him and suddenly Jackrabbit felt like he couldn’t breathe, let alone give an answer Elsie’s plea. Without say another word to Elsie or to Hatchet, he turned around, his boots scraping loud on the wooden planks of the floor as he stomped from the house.
***
“Rachael? Rae, is that you?”
Rachael nearly sighed when she heard the sound of her sister’s voice calling her name. She knew there would be no escaping her sister. She’d been hoping for a few moments alone but she could also use the company.
“Yeah, Hannah, I’m up here!” Rachael called, and then coughed at the layer of dust she’d just kicked up.
“Jesus, it’s dirty up here.” Rachael muttered, waving her hand in front of her face to try and clear the air a little bit. “Doesn’t anyone ever clean around here?”
“Nobody’s been up here since… well, not for a long time.” Hannah poked her head up through the top of the attic stairs before she climbed all the way up. The slope of the roof was narrow and Hannah had to duck her head to avoid the wooden beams that ran along its length as she made her way over to where Rachael had been sitting.
“How did you know I was up here?” Rachael asked.
“I saw your jeep in the driveway.” Hannah replied. “Added two and two together.”
“Of course. You and your unbeatable logic.” Rachael said. There was a bit of snark in her voice but there was no heart in it. She was too scared and too off-balanced to be sarcastic at the moment. It really was a shame because on a normal day she could stop most people at ten paces with her one liners.
Hannah tilted her head to one side. “I guess you could say that. Logic by its very nature means that it is—”
“Enough!” Rachael interrupted. “I’m sure I’m stopping you from giving what would have otherwise been a fascinating lecture but I’m just not in the mood, okay?”
Hannah gave a slight nod before sitting on one of the attic floor beams. She nodded at the open box at Rachael’s feet. “What are you looking at?”
“Just some old pictures.” Rachael slowly and carefully pulled out the dusty photo album, opening it up to a page in the middle. A hushed silence fell over both of them as they stared at the pictures, flipping the pages and peeking into the past.
“Mom was beautiful, wasn’t she?” Hannah finally said, reaching out a finger and running it over the photograph of their mother. She looked so young in the picture, Hannah and Rachael were still two gapped-tooth toddlers smiling at the camera as their mother tried to keep them still.
“She really was,” Rachael replied softly.
“Rachael,” Hannah started, pausing for a moment as if to collect her thoughts, and then started again. “Rae, do you know what you’re going to do? About the baby I mean?”
“I know what you meant.” Rachael snorted, but then her expres
sion grew serious. “I know it sounds crazy, I know it doesn’t make any sense at all, but…I love this baby, Hannah.” She looked over at her sister and there were tears glistening in her emerald green eyes. “It’s crazy, isn’t it?”
“No, of course not.” Her sister said, digging out a neatly folder piece of paper from the back pocket of her jeans. “Listen, I did a little research and found a great obstetrician that works out of Dixon. I know it’s a little bit of a drive but you’ll need to get prenatal vitamins and they do birthing classes there and—oof!” Rachael interrupted Hannah’s once more, this time with a rib-crushing hug.
“What was that for?” Hannah asked after Rachael drew her arms back to the album in her lap.
“Just…thank you. Thank you for being my sister.”