by Wilder, L.
“Is your bike burning oil?” Blaze poked with a shit-eating grin on his face. “Oh, no. That’s just you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your ass just got smoked.”
“What the fuck are you talking about? I didn’t get smoked.”
Shaking his head, Shadow asked, “You get her number … or even her fucking name?”
“No.”
Shadow was the club’s enforcer. He was usually pretty quiet, keeping to himself and remaining eerily intense. He wasn’t normally one to fuck around, but that didn’t keep him from joining in. “Then, your ass just got smoked.”
“Fuck y’all.”
Rider shrugged. “We’re just calling ’em like we see ’em.”
“Well, you saw this one wrong. I wasn’t trying to pick that chick up,” I argued. “I was being a Good Samaritan.”
“Um-hmm … You know, we aren’t buying that shit for one minute, brother,” Shadow taunted. “Just admit it. You’ve lost your edge. Hell, it’s gotten so bad you can’t even pick up a chick in the fucking hood.”
“Give the guy a break,” Alex fussed. She was Shadow’s ol’ lady and a real sweetheart of a chick. I’d always thought a lot of her, especially now. “At least he tried.”
“Tried and failed,” Blaze joked.
Kenadee leaned forward as she looked over to me and said, “Don’t let them get to you, Gunner. You can’t win them all.”
“Thanks, Kenadee.” Before the guys had a chance to respond, I started to back out and said, “I thought we had to get to the girls home.”
Blaze looked over to Shadow and Murphy as he said, “He’s right. We better get going.”
With a quick nod, they each started up their engines, and one by one, we backed out of the gas station. As we pulled out of the lot, I thought back to the beautiful brunette and cursed myself for not trying harder to get her number. I could tell just by looking at her that she was one of those once-in-a-lifetime kind of women. I hated that I’d let her slip through my fingers, but in truth, I knew it was all for the best. I didn’t need the distraction, especially with a run coming up. Since the day Gus became president of the Memphis chapter, he’d worked his ass off to make it what it is today—one of the most notorious clubs in the South. It hadn’t been easy. Shit, it took one hell of a fight to take claim to such a dangerous territory, but he’d done it. More than that, he’d managed to do it without compromising his beliefs. He always remained loyal to his brothers, always putting us above all else—even if that meant putting his needs second. It was no wonder that we all respected him and followed him without question.
I tagged along as Murphy and the others dropped their ol’ ladies off, then followed them over to the clubhouse. By the time we arrived, the others had already started to gather in the conference room. Gus had called us all in to go over the final details of the run, ensuring that we all knew exactly what was expected before, during, and afterward. This particular run meant a great deal to us all. Gus had worked with Cotton, the president of the Washington chapter, to create a pipeline among several of the other chapters, enabling us to distribute twice the product in half the time. Since its creation, our shipments had almost doubled in size, making this one of our biggest deliveries to date. It was important for us to make sure that everything went exactly as planned.
Once everyone was seated, Gus stood up and said, “I want to make something clear with you boys. I know this isn’t the first time we’ve done this particular run. By now, you should be feeling pretty comfortable with the way things are run, but I don’t want you letting that get in your head. This is no time for any of you to be getting comfortable. You gotta keep your head in the fucking game. Stay alert. Be looking for problems before they arise. Watch your back. Always assume that someone’s watching, ’cause if we don’t stay vigilant with this thing, we’re gonna lose everything we’ve worked for. You got me?”
“Understood. We won’t let you down, Prez,” Riggs assured him.
“I know you won’t, son. None of you will.” His expression softened as he added, “We all had different reasons for joining Fury. The way of life. The freedom. The ride. Whatever brought us here, we all stayed for the same reason … Family. There’s not a one of us in this club who wouldn’t take a bullet for the other, and that alone is what keeps us going. Even when shit gets hard … so hard you think it’ll break ya, you always know you’ve got a brother who has your back. So, remember that as you get ready for this run. I want every one of you doing your part to make sure this goes off without a hitch.”
“You got it, Prez,” Blaze answered.
“You, T-Bone, and Riggs will be with Murphy, Rider, and Dane.” Gus looked over to Shadow as he said, “I want you with Gunner and Rip.”
Rip and Dane were two of our newest prospects. Both were good guys but green as shit. They were still learning how things worked, so it wasn’t a surprise that Gus had split them up. Shadow nodded, then asked, “When do we head out?”
“Tomorrow morning … 8:00 a.m. sharp.” He looked down at his watch and directed, “Get me a final count on stock before you start to load up. We need to make sure everything is accounted for. As of right now, you have just under twenty-four hours to get things in order.”
“We’ll be ready.”
“Moose and I will be here if anything comes up, otherwise I’ll see you all in the morning.”
While the brothers started to disperse, I remained seated, and as I watched them file out of the room, I thought back over what Gus had said about the club. I was twenty-four years old when I first met Gus at Danvers Pub. It took a few months for my shoulder to heal, but as soon as it did, I took him up on that offer for a ride. It was on that very day, just over eight years ago, that I decided to prospect for the club. Not because of the way of life, the freedom, or the ride. Hell, it wasn’t even about family—that came later. I’d made my decision to join the club because of Gus. I saw how he looked after his brothers, making sure they had everything they needed. He led them with pride and determination, and his loyalty to them never wavered. In him, I saw the father figure I’d longed for my entire life, so when he offered me a chance to become a member of his family, I didn’t hesitate. Even though I’d almost lost my life twice and had a body full of scars, it was the best decision I’d ever made.
I was still sitting there, lost in my thoughts, when Gus came over and put his hand on my shoulder.
“You all right, son?”
“Yeah, Prez. I’m good.”
“You sure about that?” he asked with concern. “Looks like you’ve got something on your mind.”
“Nah. Just doing a little reflecting. Everything’s good.”
“How’s that niece of yours?”
My sister, Brooklyn, had been married for almost three years, and they’d just had their second child—a little girl named Chloe. Her brother, Thomas, wasn’t much over three. He was the reason why my sister had gotten married at such a young age, but things seemed to be going okay for her and Gary. I was glad to see that she was happy. It meant a lot to me that Gus asked about her. It always amazed me how he managed to keep up with our lives outside of the club. “She’s doing good. Up to twelve pounds now.”
“That’s great. Glad to hear it.” He patted me on the back, and as he started for the door, he said, “Come on. I smell fresh-cooked bacon. Let’s head to the kitchen for some breakfast.”
I nodded as I stood up and followed him towards the door. We were just starting down the hall when T-Bone called out to Gus, “Hey, Prez. There’s someone out front who wants to see you.”
“Who?”
“Got no idea.” He shrugged. “Rider just said that there’s a chick at the gate who’s asking to see you.”
“And you don’t got any idea who it is?”
“Nope.” While his smile might lead you to think otherwise, T-Bone was not the kind of man you’d want to come across in a dark alley. He was a monster of a dude wit
h thick biceps the size of tree trunks, and he knew how to use them. One hard blow from him, and you’re done. He shrugged as he replied, “Rider said she wouldn’t tell him anything. Just that she seems pretty freaked out and she’s adamant about seeing you.”
“Damn.” He let out an aggravated sigh. “Tell him to bring her to the bar. I’ll meet with her there.”
“You got it.”
As soon as T-Bone radioed over to Rider and relayed the message, Gus continued down the hall. Over the years, Gus had had countless visitors, but never once had a chick, especially a chick none of us knew, ever come to see him at the clubhouse. I was beyond curious as to who was knocking at his door, so I followed him to the bar. When we walked in, I quickly realized I wasn’t the only one. Blaze, and several of the others must’ve gotten wind of the girl and were sitting at the counter. They were pretending to talk amongst themselves, but it was clear they were there to eavesdrop. Even though I was there to do the same thing, I couldn’t stop myself from calling them out. I looked over at their full beers and said, “You boys are at it pretty early this morning.”
“Just taking a break before we head out for the day,” Blaze lied.
“Yeah.” I shook my head as I sat down next to them. “Figured I’d do the same.”
Riggs looked over to me. “What do you have going today?”
“Gonna head down to the garage and see if I can get that carburetor finished up.”
“Good,” Blaze interjected. “Eddy was hoping to have it back by tomorrow.”
“I’ll have it ready this afternoon.”
I’d barely gotten the words out of my mouth, when the front door opened and Rider stepped inside. The sun was shining bright, making it difficult to see who was standing behind him. The second the door closed, a knot formed in the back of my throat. It was the girl from the convenience store. As I sat there staring at her, I couldn’t help but think that fate had brought me a second chance. Blaze nudged me in the ribs as he said, “Holy shit. Isn’t that the chick from the gas station?”
“Yeah, that’s definitely her.”
“What the hell is she doing here?”
“Hell if I know.”
We all watched intently as Gus walked over to her, and the room fell quiet the second she asked, “Are you Gus?”
“I am.” He studied her for a moment, then asked, “What can I do for you?”
“I’m August … August James.” She clenched her fists tightly, until her nails dug into the palms of her hands, but she didn’t seem to notice. The only thing she was really aware of was Gus. I totally understood her reaction. Our president was a fierce man, inside and out, and with a simple cock of his brow, he could make the toughest of men shake in their boots. It was clear from the way August’s shoulders dropped into a slight cower that he was having the same effect on her. “My mother sent me here from Nashville. She said if anyone could help me, it would be you.”
“And why would she say that?”
“I have no idea. I was hoping you could answer that.”
“All right, well … let’s start with her.” He crossed his arms then asked, “Who’s your mother?”
“Samantha Rayburn.”
“Samantha Rayburn?”
She paused for a moment, then said, “I think you knew her by her maiden name … Samantha Travers. She married my father, Denis Rayburn.”
At the sound of her mother’s name, Gus was rendered completely speechless. His face was growing whiter by the second as he stood there staring at her. It was like he’d seen a fucking ghost. In all my years of knowing him, I’d never seen him so spooked, and I hated that I had no idea why.
CHAPTER 2
August
When he didn’t respond, I asked, “Do you remember her?”
“Yeah, I remember her.”
Gus’s voice was harsh, almost angry, as he answered, making me regret my decision to go there even more. His dark eyes seemed to pierce straight through me, and not in a good way. I didn’t understand why he was so angry. My mother told me that he was a good man, that he was kind and caring, and once I explained who I was, he’d help me. She’d failed to mention the fact that he was a large, scary biker who was as big as an ox, muscled up with tattoos and had a long, burly beard. The guy seriously looked like he could snap my neck like a twig without even trying. The mere sight of him made me wonder if I should have come to the clubhouse.
I thought back to my mother—the person I trusted most in this world—and remembered how she’d always given me such sound advice. Through thick and thin, she’d had an idea on how to fix things when they went wrong, and she was usually right. I tried my best to hold onto that thought as I told him, “I’m sorry to come unannounced like this, but I had no other way of reaching you. Mom tried to find it, but she didn’t have your number.”
“Yeah. I’m guessing she lost it a long time ago,” he grumbled. “You’re a long way from home, August James. I’m just curious … how old are you?”
“I’m twenty-four.”
“Hmm.” There was something about his posture and the way that he was studying me, like I had just kicked his dog, that made me uneasy. His brows furrowed as he asked, “When were you born?”
“April of ’95.” His question seemed odd, so I asked, “Why?”
Instead of answering, he roared, “She wouldn’t … Damn it!”
Completely thrown by his reaction, I asked, “Am I missing something here? Did I say something wrong?”
“You don’t know?”
With all the questions and his agitated tone, I was starting to worry that he might turn me away and refuse to help. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, so apparently not.”
“Of course, she didn’t,” he scoffed with a shake of his head. “Damn it all to hell.”
With that, he walked out the door, leaving me to fend for myself. I turned to the one who’d brought me into the bar and asked, “What just happened here?”
He shrugged. “I got no idea.”
“Should I go?”
“No.” He glanced over at the door as he told her, “Just give him a minute.”
I was trying my best to keep it together, but I was struggling. I was breathing hard, my palms were sweating, and my pulse was racing out of control. I tried to calm myself by looking around the bar. I’d never been in a motorcycle clubhouse. I’d tried to envision the place, but the Fury clubhouse was nothing like what I had imagined. For some reason, I’d thought it would be a run-down hole in the wall, but I was completely wrong. It was actually a nice place. Much like the exterior, it had a rustic feel to it with old light fixtures and exposed brick walls. I was looking around at all the different memorabilia, old motorcycle parts and vintage signs, and pictures of roughneck bikers hanging on the walls, when one of the men sitting at the end of the counter caught my attention. Unlike the others, he was facing me, and not only that, he was looking directly at me. It took me a moment, but then I realized he was the guy who’d come up to me at the gas station.
At the time, I was panicking over being lost, otherwise I might’ve noticed how handsome he really was. He was tall and muscular with messy blonde hair that seemed to be in perfect disarray. His eyes were fierce, but there was a kindness behind them that I found oddly appealing. Had I’d noticed how hot he was, I might’ve thought his cheesy pickup lines were kind of cute, but like now, I was too wound up to give him a second thought. I turned back towards the door and sighed when I saw no sign of Gus. With every second he remained outside, I was becoming more and more anxious. I’d almost convinced myself to just give it up and leave when he finally came charging into the room.
With a look of determination, his eyes locked on mine as he walked back over to me. I swallowed hard, trying to brace myself for whatever he was about to say. He took in a deep breath and tried to remain calm as he said, “I need you to tell me … Why did Samantha send you here?”
“I’m really sorry if I said something to upset you.
I didn’t mean to say the wrong thing or …”
“No. It’s not anything you did, August,” he interrupted. “Now, I need you to answer the question.”
“Because there is no one else who can help me.” He stood there waiting for me to explain, but I was having a hard time forming the words. The past few days had been the worst of my life, and just thinking about what had happened brought tears to my eyes. “My daughter is missing. She disappeared three days ago.”
“Have you notified the police?”
“Yes, but they haven’t been able to find her.”
“That’s not surprising,” he scoffed. “What are they saying?”
“Nothing. Instead of searching for her, they keep asking me the same questions over and over again. It’s like they think I did something to her, but I didn’t. I have no idea where she is.”
“The cops always focus on the parents first. After they figure out it wasn’t you, they’ll move on to another suspect.”
“But there’s no time for that!”
Tears started streaming down my face as I thought about the possibility that I may never see my precious daughter again. I was terrified that someone might hurt her, and I wouldn’t be there to stop them. Just thinking about her out there alone, crying for her momma to save her ripped my heart out. I was overcome with guilt and couldn’t seem to pull myself together. Gus took me by the arm and led me over to one of the tables. Once he helped me into a seat, he sat down next to me and said, “Look, I don’t know if there’s anything I can do to help you, August. I really don’t. I won’t know that until I find out exactly what’s going on. You falling apart on me isn’t going to make that any easier.”