He was a tall handsome man with dark brown eyes that looked as if they knew exactly what you were thinking. His hair was dark with some silver streaks and he always looked neat and clean when he was brought to her office. She doubled checked her notes to see if there was anything she could find to give her a reason why he’d failed at his parole hearing. Getting updates in this prison was impossible she knew. She hadn’t seen him for at least eight months, it was noted. Why was he coming today, she wondered? She had her glasses on and was scanning his files when a knock sounded.
“Come in please.” Lana was all business when it came to her job.
Caesar came in and sat down quietly until she looked up at him.
“I thought the last time you were here, was our last session Caesar. What happened?”
“Good morning Dr. North, I decided I would max out my time here. I don’t want a parole officer up my ass and I get to see you.” The smile he gave her lit up his face.
Lana pushed up her glasses and studied the man sitting before her. She knew he wasn’t married and that he was forty-six years old. Had never been married and had no children that he spoke of. It seemed odd to her that he’d never spoke about a woman but that was his business. If he wanted to talk about it he would, or she could bring it up. Many of the guys maxed out so they didn’t have to worry about parole officers. She absently tapped her pen on her folder, waiting to see if he would speak first, some days he did. It appeared today wasn’t one of them.
“Caesar, was there anything special you wanted to speak with me about today?” She inquired.
“Not really, I come here to just shoot the shit, with a normal person, Doctor North.” He smiled slightly at her.
Lana wondered if he’d heard stories about her and puckered her lips. Was he making fun of her, she wondered.
“Are you using your appointments with me to get away from the other inmates or because you want to help yourself when you get back into your regular life?” Lana wasn’t going to be used when she had men that seriously wanted her help.
“Doctor North, I’m here because I do want help, I’ve been here for five years. I want the things most men at my age have and I’ve never seemed to be able to have them.” He rubbed his thighs with his hands. “I never wanted them before and I don’t know why they seem so important to me now.” His dark eyes seemed sad.
Lana closed her eyes for a second. So many men had said these words to her over the past years. They knew as well as she did that the answer was their behavior and unless they were willing to change, they’d end up back here.
“I think you know the answer to that, as well as most men here. Change your behavior or you’ll be visiting us again. In terms of what other men have, what do you mean? She questioned.
“I want a woman that loves me, wants to have my babies, and can understand the life I lead. I don’t think there are many that do understand what fitting into my life means. They think they do but the thrill wears off and my days of partying are over. I want more peace in my life and I want love.” Caesar raised an eyebrow at her. “You do understand what I am talking about don’t you?”
Lana felt her face blush. “I don’t talk about my private life in here unless it is to pass a message to my brother. I’m sure when you go home you’ll find someone. Now is there anything else you’d like to talk about?”
Caesar stood up, “Tell True, I’ll be out in two weeks and I’ll be staying by him. I hope I’ll see you again Doctor North but not in this place. As always it was delightful to see you.’ He walked toward her desk and looked closely at her. “Who the hell did that to your face?”
Lana stood up and faced him. “I tripped over a tree root in my backyard. I doubt we’ll see each other on the outside either. I don’t think I’ll be around my brother very much. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”
Before he opened the door to leave, Caesar looked back at her, “I’ve already found it.” He opened the door and walked out leaving Lana to sink into her chair and wonder what the hell he had meant by that.
The day passed quickly but Lana couldn’t get Caesar’s words out of her mind. She drove home to her empty house and made dinner she ate by herself, again. It was after she cleaned up she recalled the message meant for True. She didn’t want to see her brother but she texted him to drop by. He replied immediately, he’d be right over.
Lana washed her make up off deliberately, wanting True to feel guilty. It had been his fault for trying to run her life after all. She heard the doorbell chime and slowly walked to the door. True knew better than to let himself into her house, although he had over the years. After being in for a shock many times the nosy fucker learned to wait until she let him in.
Lana let him in and motioned to the couch while True paid her no mind, heading to her fridge for a beer. He came back empty- handed and looking confused.
“I don’t keep beer in my fridge for you or Whistler anymore. I decided social drinking isn’t working for me so I am not keeping beer for my brothers either.” She had a smirk on her face as she said it.
True sat on the couch, “What’s up that you called me?”
“Caesar Russo gets out in two weeks and is planning to stick around with you. Gave me the message to tell you.” Lana replied.
True looked dumbstruck.
Lana usually wouldn’t have asked why, but she was curious. “You look a bit upset True, who is he?”
“National vice president of Satan’s Fools. I don’t know why he wants to stay here. Shit, I’ll have to find him a place to stay and get everything sorted out in the club. He is a fucking hard-ass motherfucker. Lana, what do you know about him?”
She glared at him. “Sorry but I don’t think that is your business and it is against the law to even discuss it with you. I’d suggest you talk it over with Whistler and do what you need to do. True, what is going on with you and Nicola? Isn’t she a bit young for you?”
True leaned back into the cushions of the couch and smiled. “Yeah probably but when I’m with her I’m happy. I even like spending time with her kid. Funny how her son looks like me too. I asked who the baby daddy was and she wouldn’t tell me.” He rubbed his hands over his face. “Fuck! I popped her cherry, she came on to me when I was drunk then she left to live with her mother a few months after. Lana, do you think he could be mine?”
Lana looked at him in horror. “True, you are a piece of work. Nicola is what twenty-one or twenty-two and you’re going on forty? I’ve never seen the child. Ask Morgana! Now get outta my house. Some of us work for a living. I’m done with getting messages to you too. If I have to transfer out of this area, I will. I may as well tell you, I’m really thinking of moving. There is no life here for me.” Hands on her hips, she glared at him.
True stood up and glared right back at her. “That won’t happen sis, I promised mom and dad I’d watch out for all of you and I won’t break that promise. I admit I’ve fucked up with you but Lana, you need your family. Right now, you think you’re doing good but what about the days when you aren’t or do something stupid? Who else is going to pull you out of your messes but us?”
“True, I’m changing and I don’t know if I can do that here. All the things I’ve done stare me right in the face in this town. I’m grown up now no matter how much you don’t want to admit that. I’ll take the consequences, I guess.” Lana spoke from her heart.
“We’re not done with this conversation Lana. There will be no moving, you have everything you need here.” He stormed to the door, walked out and slammed it.
Lana slumped into the couch and stared off into space. True always had been a bossy bastard. Suddenly she recalled what Caesar had said to her and her lips curved into a smile. What if Caesar was interested in her. Even if he wasn’t she could hook up with him and for once True couldn’t be the bossy older brother. She thought about it for a few minutes and decided that probably was not a good idea, she was trying hard to change her behavior and thinking like that wasn’
t making a change. It sure had felt good to think about getting one over on True though. Caesar was a damn hot looking man too. What a damn shame it wasn’t going to happen. She grabbed the remote control and looked for something to watch on the television. Her mind kept wandering back to Caesar’s words though.
Chapter Nine
Hazel looked at Marianne in horror. “I can’t help you anymore. You stole from Whistler and come to my house? Are you outta of your mind Marianne? You’re dancing with two devils with those North brothers.” She tossed down the dish towel she held and shook her head. “How many days have you been hiding out?”
“A few days, I changed motels and paid in cash. I don’t have anywhere else to go Hazel. Am I supposed to hide forever and let him take Michael away from me when he finds me? I didn’t know what else to do, so I took the money, and the car, and packed up as much of our stuff as I could. Hazie, I need you to help watch Michael so I can get a job. A real job so if it goes to court I can show I can support us.” Marianne pleaded with her younger sister.
“There are no jobs here that pay what you need to make. I did hear that Percy was looking for someone to take over at the motel, a tiny apartment comes with the job, but you have to be there all the time. It’s a shithole motel Mari, but it would give you a roof over your heads and I am not risking my life to save your ass anymore. Go over to the Pines and talk to him. I’ll watch Michael.” Hazel looked at her nephew with love in her eyes.
Marianne thought of her beautiful condo and shuddered. A tiny crappy apartment and a low paying job wasn’t what she had expected. Hazel was right though, until she could find something else it was a free place to live. She’d buy her own car and leave Whistler’s car where he could find it and she’d buy her own cell phone. She kissed her son and smiled at her sister as she left. Percy didn’t like the North’s so she had a good chance of him helping her but if she told him about her troubles with the North’s he might think it would bring issues to the motel. She wasn’t sure what to tell him.
She hoped to hell that Whistler hadn’t gone back to the condo, there had been no calls or texts from him at all, nor had she contacted him. Maybe he was cooling down or had gone on a binge. Being in town would put her right into True’s path and she was beginning to think leaving town might have been a better idea. The Pines Motel came into view and she pulled into the parking lot. She sat in the car, thinking hard. She could say she was back in town and needed a job where she could have her son. That was the truth and it was better to be as honest as she could be. Whistler and True North could both go to hell. She wasn’t playing their games anymore. She got out of the car and walked toward the motel office. She could and would do this, she made it a mantra as she pressed the bell for Percy to let her in.
*~*
Whistler had waited a few days to cool off and had brought Raven with him to the condo. As he scanned the parking lot he saw Marianne’s car was gone from her numbered parking spot.
Raven said nothing but watched Whistler clenching his jaw.
“Cars gone, she better be at the supermarket buying food.” Whistler pulled into the spot and turned his truck off. Both men exited the truck and headed for the condo. Once inside Raven looked at the mess, Marianne usually kept a spotless house. Whistler walked around looking at everything in disbelief. Clothes and toys were strewn all over, as if Marianne had left in a hurry. The sink was full of dirty dishes and old food was on the table with flies buzzing around it.
Raven plopped down on the couch, he knew she had left and he wasn’t going to trail Whistler around the condo looking for her. From what Whistler had told him about the fight the couple had, he wasn’t at all shocked Marianne had fled. The sound of Whistler punching the wall didn’t surprise him either. The North brothers weren’t the smartest men when it came to women. If it had been him, he’d gone straight to True as soon as Marianne had showed any interest in him. He listened to Whistler cursing and yawned. Life with Morgana was good and he intended to keep it that way. With Caesar coming to town to stay, he hoped his vice president didn’t expect him to go off on a wild goose chase looking for Marianne. From the looks of the condo, Raven figured she’d left shortly after Whistler. Who the hell knew where the bitch had taken off for. He leaned his head back and shut this eyes, he knew Whistler very well and he’d wanted to think clearly once his bro was done having his temper tantrum.
Whistler ran cold water over his knuckles and watched the blood swirl down the sink. He turned off the faucet and grabbed a washcloth to wrap around his hand. Marianne had no money to leave with so why would she go? He’d been a fool not to have had anyone watch the condo. She hadn’t called or texted him and he’d thought that was a good sign. Now she was gone and so was Michael. He walked into the living room and looked at Raven who appeared to be napping.
He sat down and glared at Raven who opened his eyes. “I can’t believe she had the balls to leave. No money and she takes my son? That stupid bitch!”
“Maybe she wasn’t so stupid after all, bro. I bet you kept money here, didn’t you?” Raven hated to state the obvious.
Whistler was up in a flash, heading back to the master bedroom. From his curses Raven knew he was correct. Another punch to the wall and more curses. He got up and headed to the kitchen and the freezer. A bag of frozen peas should keep the swelling in Whistler’s hand down until Morgana could check it out. Whistler was sitting there with the washcloth soaked with blood but he caught the bag of peas.
“She knew you had money stashed here?” Raven felt bad for Whistler.
“I didn’t think so but she sure as hell found it. Now what the fuck do I do? I don’t want to report the car stolen with my son in it.” Whistler winced as he pushed his fist into the bag of cold peas.
Raven wondered why the man was so dense. “We go talk to Hazel. If anyone knows where she might be, I’m betting her sister will. I’ll drive and you can keep the frozen peas on those knuckles. We’ll say you got into a fight so Morgana doesn’t get upset. Only thing you can do now is talk to True. I’d have done that before he ever went to jail. I told you that and you made a big mess outta all of this, Whistler.”
“True has got enough on his mind right now with Caesar coming and you think he’s gonna want to hear any of this? Fuck that! We’ll find Marianne and when I do, I’m taking my son this time. We’ll go see what Hazel knows and she better not lie for Marianne or she’s in for a rude awakening.”
Whistler got up and headed into the bathroom looking for peroxide to pour over the cuts on his knuckles. He didn’t find any and settled for plain soap and water and found a clean bandanna to tie over his sore hand. He still couldn’t believe Marianne would defy him. She would be found and she’d be damn sorry. He wasn’t telling True anything. There was a tracker on her car and Gonna would find her. She was going to be so sorry when he did, the thought made his knuckles hurt a bit less.
*~*
Marianne poured out her ideas to Percy. She had looked around the motel and saw cheap ways to fix it up and make it more appealing to guests. The motel had a large room off to the side where she pointed out coffee and a continental breakfast could be offered. Best of all there was a huge fireplace where couches could be placed for guests to relax.
Percy bought this place as a spur of the moment cheap deal but he liked money. If Marianne could make a profit with The Pines Motel, he was all for it. She talked about buying supplies in bulk and fixing up the place and giving him a better name in the town.
She didn’t look like the stripper she had been and was dressed stylishly. Everything she said made a lot of sense to him and she pointed out the fact the motel was close to a few parks and a bird sanctuary. It would be perfect places for tourists to enjoy during their stay. Ideas just flowed out of her head and from her mouth and Percy hired her on the spot.
He even had a better deal than the tiny apartment for her to live in. He had a two-bedroom house right on the side of the motel and included it in her salary which h
e doubled and made her the manager. He also wanted her to oversee all the work and be the day manager once the motel was redone. He took her to see the house and it was newly furnished and clean. She could move right in. Percy also handed her keys to the motel’s jeep along with the house keys. She was allowed to use it for motel purchases and her personal use. Marianne could have kissed the man but she wasn’t about to give him any ideas.
She needed to get back to Hazel’s and get Michael and be rid of Whistler’s car. Time was of the essence so she told him she would be moving in tonight. Percy shook her hand and both parted thinking they had gotten a great deal. She’d fill out paperwork tomorrow and he’d be less stressed about a motel that hadn’t been making him as much money as he had expected.
*~*
Whistler cursed as he read the text True had just sent. “We’ve got to go out to my brother’s farm. Horses broke the fence and he wants help. Christ! I need to find that bitch and my kid.”
Raven kept silent as he drove toward True’s farm. If he were Whistler, he’d be talking to True but he wasn’t offering anymore advice. Whistler never listened to it anyway.
True was up on his favorite horse moving his other horses to another pasture. There were bikers carrying new fencing and nobody looked very happy.
“That fucker didn’t need us. Look at him playing cowboy. No wonder Lana was with damn cowboys, she learned that shit from True. We should just keep on going.” Whistler was in a foul mood.
Raven pulled the truck near the barn and parked. “You want to go on alone, go ahead. My prez calls and says he wants me, I’m there. My wife is here too so you go ahead and make that call bro. Me, I’m following orders.” He tossed Whistler’s truck keys at him and got out of the truck and headed toward Morgana.
Thirsty (Satan's Fools MC Book 2) Page 5