by Wilder, L.
Devon’s nose flared as he stuck out his chest and snarled, “You best remember who you’re talking to, Mr. Nichols.”
“Look, Devon. I don’t want any trouble with you or your boss, but the deal is done.” Dad shrugged. “Those guns are gone.”
“Then, you need to get them back!”
“By now, they’re halfway across the country.”
“Fuck! Lynch is going to lose his shit.” Devon ran his hand roughly over his face. “When can you get your hands on some more?”
“Not sure that I can. Like I told you last week, I’m getting out of the business.”
With that, Devon sprang forward and grabbed my father’s shirt, fisting it tightly as he jerked him forward. “You’re not getting out of the business until the Hurricanes say you’re getting out! You are going to do whatever it takes to get us that fucking shipment, or there’ll be hell to pay. Is that understood?”
From the day I first learned about my father’s new enterprise, I’d worried that something would go wrong, and now my worst fears were becoming a reality. I was completely terrified, and I wasn’t the only one. Dad’s courageous stance started to waver when he mumbled, “Yeah, I understand … but it’s going to take some time.”
“I’m glad we’re finally on the same page,” Devon replied as he turned towards his car. “You’ve got forty-eight hours.”
Before my father could respond he got into his car, and seconds later he was gone. Dad didn’t move. He simply stood there staring off into space with a blank expression on his face. It was a look of defeat, much like the one he had on the day the doctors told him that Mom’s treatments hadn’t worked. I didn’t know what to do. He wouldn’t like that I’d eavesdropped, but I couldn’t pretend that I hadn’t heard Devon’s threat. I unlocked the door and slipped out onto the porch without my father even noticing. I stepped up behind him and asked, “Are you okay?”
His eyes skirted over to me as he answered, “You were listening?”
“Yes. I heard everything.” My voice trembled as I asked, “What are you going to do?”
“I’ll figure it out.”
“If you get them that shipment, won’t they just keep coming back for more?”
“I said, I’ll figure it out, Riley,” he snapped.
“I’m sorry. It’s just … that guy was pretty scary.” I looked him in the eyes and told him, “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“Now, you understand how I feel. I know you don’t want to believe me, but that Murphy fellow is just as scary as Devon. You keep talking to him, and you’ll eventually see that side of him. I guarantee it.”
“Maybe, but it’s a chance I’m willing to take.” As I started back up the porch steps, I told him, “You know, there’s more to you than just this farm and the horses you breed, and the same goes for Murphy. There’s more to him than just that club. There’s a lot of good in him, and it’s a shame you can’t see that.”
“I’ve seen all I need to see to know that my beautiful daughter has no business messing around with the likes of him.”
I shook my head with disgust as I opened the front door. Before I stepped inside, I told him, “I have some studying to do.”
“Well, at least you haven’t given up on your education. Maybe there’s still a chance for you after all.”
I didn’t bother responding. Instead, I slammed the door and went up to my room. My mind was still reeling as I went into the bathroom and took a hot shower. Once I was done, I put on some clean clothes and lay across my bed. I stared up at the ceiling and was thinking about everything that had happened over the past few months when I was struck with a thought. I’d often wondered why I hadn’t judged Murphy more harshly, especially after the way I’d reacted over my father selling illegal weapons. Both of them were involved in things I didn’t condone, but there was one defining difference between them. My father had always portrayed himself to be an upstanding man who always followed the rules, never wavering for anyone. I’d always looked up to him for that, and even though I loved him and understood his reasons for what he’d done, I felt betrayed by his actions. Murphy, on the other hand, never once tried to hide who he was. He was upfront from the start, never apologizing for the life he led or the choices he made. My father would never understand why I liked Murphy the way I did. Sometimes, I didn’t understand it myself, but in the end, the heart wants what the heart wants.
With all intentions of studying, I took out my binder and started flipping through the pages of notes, trying to make sense of what I was reading. Sadly, I wasn’t having much luck. My mind just wasn’t in the right place, and I was having a hard time focusing. I’d started to become frustrated when I heard my phone chime with a text message. I smiled when I noticed I had a message from Murphy.
Murphy: You make it home okay?
Me: I did. I just got out of the shower.
Murphy: Really? I hate I missed that.
Me: You’re not the only one.
Murphy: How did things go with your dad?
Me: As well as could be expected.
Murphy: That well, huh?
Me: He’ll come around.
Murphy: Not so sure about that.
Me: He will. You’ll see. Besides, I didn’t get much time to talk to him. We got interrupted by one of his buyers.
Murphy: Interrupted how?
Me: I don’t know all the details. I just know he wasn’t happy about a shipment.
Murphy: Did you father get him sorted?
Me: Not yet, but he will.
Murphy: You sound pretty confident about that.
Me: That’s because I am.
Murphy: Good. You got plans after class tomorrow?
Me: Not that I’m aware of. Why?
Murphy: I want to see you.
Me: Good, because I want to see you, too.
Murphy: I’ll text you later to sort out the when and where.
Me: Sounds like a plan.
Murphy: Now stop messing around and get to studying for that test.
Me: I’m trying, but this hot guy keeps messaging me.
Murphy: Tell him to fuck off. You’re taken.
Me: I’m not sure he will believe me, but I’ll find a way to convince him.
Murphy: And how are you planning to do that?
Me: You’ll see tomorrow.
Murphy: I’ll be looking forward to that. I’ll text you later.
With a goofy grin on my face, I tossed my phone on the bed and started studying. It took some time, but I was eventually able to make sense of all my notes. I went downstairs when I felt certain that I had everything down, and after I put on my coat and boots, I headed outside. I wasn’t in the mood for another confrontation, so I was pleased to see that Dad was nowhere in sight as I headed out to the barn. After greeting each of the horses, I grabbed a pitchfork and started cleaning out one of the stalls. I was just about to finish when Hunter came up behind me and said, “Is it true?”
Confused, I turned to face him as I asked, “Is what true?”
“Are you screwing around with one of those biker guys?”
Damn. Round three was about to ensue. “I’m not screwing around, Hunter.”
“You know what I mean, Riley. Are you seeing that dude or what?”
“His name is Murphy, and yeah, I saw him last night.” My eyes narrowed as I grumbled, “If you’re about to give me one of your big brother lectures, I really don’t want to hear it right now. I’ve already heard it all from Dad.”
“I wasn’t gonna give you a lecture, sis.” He leaned against the gate as he said, “I don’t care who you date as long as you are happy.”
It wasn’t like Hunter to be so understanding, so I asked, “Seriously? That’s all you’re going to say.”
“I’m not going to waste my breath on telling you things you already know. I’m sure you have your reasons for liking this guy.” I couldn’t believe my ears as he said, “Just be careful and don’t do anything stupid.”<
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“Are you up to something?”
“No. What makes you think I’m up to something?”
As soon as the words came out of his mouth, I knew he was trying to hide something. “I know you better than anyone, Hunter Nichols, so tell me. What did you do?”
“It’s not as bad as you fucking around with that biker.”
“Hunter.”
He grimaced as he answered, “I got arrested last night.”
“Arrested! For what?”
“Public intoxication and indecent exposure.”
“Seriously? Where were you, and what were you doing?”
“Travis and I were down on the strip, and we met up with some friends of ours from school.” His eyes skirted to the floor as he continued, “We got to drinking, and then we drank a little more. A bachelorette party came in, and everything after that was kind of a blur.”
“So, what did you do to get arrested?”
“Apparently, the girls convinced me that I should get up on the table and strip for them. You know how I aim to please, so …”
“Hunter,” I fussed. “I can’t believe you did that!”
“Yeah … It wasn’t my proudest moment, but at least I gave that bride-to-be something to remember,” he boasted.
“Maybe so,” I stepped towards him as I said, “But Dad is going to have a conniption fit when he finds out you were arrested.”
“I’m fucked.”
“You might as well go on and tell him. You know how Dad is. He’ll find out one way or another.”
“You’re right. I’ll talk to him.”
“No time like the present.” I motioned my hand towards the training ring as I said, “He’s out back with Starlight.”
“Damn.”
When he started walking towards the door, I called out to him, “Hey, Hunter?”
“Yeah?”
“There is one good thing about all this!”
“Really? What’s that?”
I smiled as I told him, “Once Dad hears about you getting arrested for giving a striptease, he’s going to forget all about me and Murphy.”
“Not a chance, sunshine,” he scoffed. “Not a chance.”
CHAPTER 13
Murphy
I’m not sure that I’ve ever known what it felt like to be content, to be able to lay my head down on the pillow without feeling like a dark void was devouring me from the inside out, but as I sat there reading Riley’s last text message, content was the only way I could describe how I was feeling. There was always the chance that the feeling wouldn’t last, that our worlds were just too different and it would tear us apart, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me. Something in my gut told me that the connection we had was worth taking the risk, so I messaged her back and made arrangements for us to meet later that afternoon. As soon as she confirmed, I put my phone in my back pocket and turned my attention back to my brothers. We’d gathered at the bar to go over the plan for our upcoming pipeline run, but Blaze was running late. He’d told us earlier that he was taking his son, Wyatt, for another six-month checkup. Wyatt had been in remission for quite some time, and knowing what they’d been through, we were all concerned that they might’ve gotten bad news. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case.
We were all talking amongst ourselves, when the backdoor flew open, and Blaze walked in with a big smile plastered on his face. As he sat down beside us, he announced, “We got good news. Wyatt’s remission is still holding, and his stats are better than ever.”
“That’s awesome, brother,” Riggs told him as he patted him on the back.
“Yes, it is.” Blaze chuckled as he added, “Wyatt was pretty pleased with himself.”
I smiled as I replied, “I bet he was. He’s just like his old man … taking credit where credit is due.”
“You got that right.” Blaze looked over to Gus and said, “Sorry for holding y’all up.”
“No need to apologize, brother. We’re just glad to hear that everything turned out okay.”
Blaze nodded, then asked, “So, what’s the plan for the run tomorrow?”
“Same as last, only this time, Rider will be filling in for Riggs.” Gus looked over to Riggs as he told him, “I know you think you’re up for it, but I’m not sending you on a run like this until I know you’re at a hundred percent.”
I could tell from Riggs’s expression that he wasn’t happy about Gus’s decision, but he knew better than to argue. “Whatever you think is best.”
“I think you all will agree that Rider has proven himself to be an asset to the club. If he’s able to step up to the plate tomorrow, I think we should consider patching him in.”
“Agreed,” I replied without reservation.
“Plan to start loading tomorrow morning at five. That should put you on the road well before six and in Mobile by noon.” He then turned to Shadow and said, “As always, I’ll expect you and Blaze to have all artillery checked before nightfall.”
“You got it,” Blaze answered.
“Good deal.” As Gus stood up, he announced, “I’ll see you boys first thing in the morning.”
Once he was gone, I pulled out my phone to see if I had any messages from Riley. When I saw that she hadn’t texted, I quickly returned my phone to my pocket. As soon as I looked up, I found Blaze and Riggs smiling at me like two schmucks who were up to no good. “What?”
“You expecting a call from someone?” Riggs taunted.
“No.”
“You sure about that?” T-Bone taunted.
Blaze had a mischievous grin on his face as he snickered, “You looked pretty disappointed when you checked your phone. Did your girl, Riley, forget to touch base?”
“You guys got nothing better to do than give me a hard fucking time?” I complained.
“Nope.”
“That’s what I was afraid of,” I groaned.
“So, what’s the deal? You got a thing for the farmer’s daughter or what?” Blaze asked.
“And if I do?”
“Then, I’d say it’s about damn time,” Riggs scoffed.
As I stood up, I looked over to my brothers and said, “I’ll see you boys in the morning.”
“That’s all we’re gonna get?” Blaze fussed.
“Yep, so stop acting like a bunch of girls and let me get out of here. I’ve got somewhere I need to be.”
As I started for the door, Riggs said, “You should take her some flowers.”
“No way. It’s too soon for fucking flowers,” T-Bone argued. “You start that shit now and you’ll never hear the end of it.”
Blaze shook his head, leaving no doubt that he disagreed with their suggestions. “Just take her somewhere cool … like Graceland or the Brooks.”
“I’ve got it covered,” I shouted as I walked out the back door.
As I started towards my bike, I wondered if I should’ve taken the time to listen to my brothers’ advice. Over the years, I’d had my share of hookups, but I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen a woman for a second time, much less actually taken them out. There was always the possibility that Riley wouldn’t like what I had planned for our afternoon together, but I decided to go with my gut and take a chance. When I arrived at the address she’d given me, I found her waiting in the parking lot. I was pleased to see that she was wearing a jacket with her jeans and boots. I pulled up next to her, and when I offered her a helmet, she asked, “We’re taking your bike?”
“If you’re up for it, I thought we’d take advantage of this nice weather.”
A smile crossed her face as she lifted the helmet to her head and started to fasten the strap. “Yes! I’m definitely up for it.”
“I was hoping you would say that.” I extended my hand and helped her get on behind me. Once she was settled, I asked, “You ready?”
“Wait … give me some pointers first.”
“You ride horses, Riley. Just do what comes natural.” I gave her a wink as I said, “You’ve got this.”
She placed her hands on my hips, and seconds later we were out of the parking lot and traveling towards Mississippi. The wind was brisk, but it wasn’t too bad with the sun shining. Riley’s grip tightened as I sped through busy streets, letting me know that she was nervous, but it didn’t take her long to relax and loosen her hold. As we started towards the interstate, Riley leaned against me, resting her chin on my shoulder. “This might be better than horseback riding.”
“You think so?”
“I don’t know. It’s pretty close.” When we started down Riverside Drive, she turned and looked out at the Mississippi River and sighed. “The views are just incredible.”
“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.”
When I eased off the main road and took the Mississippi exit, she asked, “Where are you going?”
“It’s a surprise.”
As we continued towards our destination, she became more and more curious. “I don’t think I’ve ever been on this road.”
Considering it was the only road into Tunica from Memphis, I was hoping she hadn’t ever been. “I’ve only been on it a couple of times.”
“How long will it be before we get there?”
I smiled to myself as I asked, “Do you need a break? We can stop at the—”
“No,” she stopped me. “I was just curious.”
“It won’t be much longer. Maybe fifteen minutes or so.”
She remained silent for the next twenty minutes, and then, suddenly, she tapped me on the arm. “Wait! Is that one of the casinos?”
“It is.”
“You’re kidding me! I’ve always wanted to go, but I’ve never gotten the chance!”
Hearing the excitement in her voice was like music to my ears. “So, this will be your first trip to a casino?”
“Yep. My very first!”
I could feel the excitement rolling off of her as we pulled up to the Horseshoe Casino and parked. Once we’d removed our helmets, I reached for her hand and led her inside. I was thankful to see that it wasn’t very crowded, so we wouldn’t have to worry about waiting in any lines. I glanced over at Riley and smiled when I saw the wide-eyed expression on her face. She looked spellbound as she studied the various slot machines. I gave her hand a gentle squeeze as I asked, “Where do you want to start?”