“You got it.” Bane’s response was flat and quiet.
Unfazed, the boys moved around him, then the treads creaked as their footsteps thudded upstairs.
“Well that was fun.” Bane shuffled to face the room as he spoke, and the man’s gaze moved over Einstein before it landed and stuck on Horse. “Won’t stand for shit bein’ shoveled against people who haven’t deserved it, brother. Gunny hadn’t done a damn thing except take a chance on me, same as Blackie, and I’m bustin’ at the seams to live up to their trust. Won’t start this whole thing by having someone I’ve been brothers with not exhibiting that same amount of trust in me, or in them.” Bane’s features tightened, his voice turning rough as it lowered, stern tones matching the tension in his face. “You not down with me being the new charter’s president? Take it up with Blackie. Not down with the men I’ve patched over into my chapter? Then you and I will have words, and I’ll see your back as you ride away.”
“Jesus, brother. Wasn’t my intent. He’s taken Marian on as his little sister, finger in my chest and jutted jaw as he extolled her virtues while threatening me if those virtues don’t remain intact. His old lady was standing behind him, grinnin’ and shakin’ her head, and when he was done, told me about him adopting anyone in need. She made me promise not to take it personal.” Horse shook out his arms and hands, then forcefully shoved curled fists into the front pockets of his jeans. “I came over to offer my help, but if you don’t want or need me, then I’ll be on my way home. But, just sayin’, man—anything that happens between me and Gunny don’t necessarily have a damn thing to do with you. I’ll keep my fuckin’ mouth shut from here on out, let you make your own observations without me contaminating anything with my words.”
“Shit.” Bane strode around the island and straight to Horse, and wrapped his arms in a hug, returned as soon as Horse had struggled free from his own makeshift hobbling. “Shit, man. I’m fuckin’ on edge, brother. This is big, so fuckin’ big.”
“Yeah, but you got it in you to deal.” Horse lifted him with a groan as Bane shouted laughter. “Knew it early on. You’re a tenacious fucker, and I’m proud to call you brother.”
“They sort themselves out?” Marian had snuck up alongside Einstein, and he glanced over at her whisper, offering a quick dip of his chin. “Good. Myrtle doesn’t know many of the men like she does Gunny. Proximity and opportunity will fix that for them, I’m sure. My understanding from Gunny is that Horse is as close to a brother as Bane will claim.”
“Bane already had a bad hand dealt him on that front. I’m glad he’s picking better family than the universe saw fit to give him.” He shook himself. “Forget I said that.” He took a step and glanced over his shoulder. “See you at the clubhouse in town.”
“Can I ride with you?”
He didn’t lose a beat as he clipped out, “No,” continuing to stalk towards the door on suddenly numb legs. “I’m on a bike.”
He’d never had a woman ride second seat.
Never.
Lauren had been totally uninterested in the lifestyle, outside of where it benefited them as a family by providing a large circle of support. She’d never snuggled up against him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Never leaned her head against his spine and trusted that he’d keep her safe.
He’d wanted.
Lord God, how I’d wanted, once upon a time.
Had coaxed and cajoled, then Makayla had rounded out their family, and it’d seemed like testing fate to have both parents riding, so he’d stopped asking.
Slamming through the door, he rattled down the steps and into the dusty grass of the front yard. His bike was still parked at Truck’s house, and he made his way there without pausing. Along the trek, he passed Gunny’s oldest girl running after a donkey, her yells of, “Randy,” shrill and loud, but laced through with amused laughter that said she might not mind chasing the beast. Shaking his head, he got to his bike and stopped short. He’d left his bag at Bane’s house. I can get it afterwards, see if Truck’s got room for me tonight.
“Einstein.” Retro was seated on the porch swing, socked feet up on the porch railing as he pushed himself back and forth. “Heard you’re going to help with the clubhouse cleanup.”
“How the hell did you…know what? It doesn’t matter. Yeah, I was planning on it, unless you’ve got something else in mind?” Propping a heel on a stair tread, he leaned an elbow against his knee, stretching out muscles suddenly tense and complaining. Back wasn’t hurting when I woke up on the couch. “I can be swayed.”
“Nah, just make sure you catch me before I head out tonight. We got a few more things to iron out, you and me. Wanna make sure I do it right before I hand you a rocker for your new status.”
The donkey rounded the corner of the house, hilariously carrying what looked like a sleeping bag in its teeth. It paused when it saw Einstein and Retro, not much, but enough for Gunny’s girl to grab the lead rope dangling from its halter. “Got you,” she shrieked, then waved at the two men as she led the donkey off at a fast trot, sleeping bag trailing behind them.
“Don’t give it much mind.” Retro’s laughter couldn’t be contained, bubbling over each of his words. “I’ve come to understand that kind of shit happens a lot around Gunny.”
“Tell me what you know, old man.” Einstein quirked an eyebrow at the door in silent question.
“Everybody’s either in the kitchen or out saying their goodbyes. By noon it’ll just be you, me, and those newly patched into Baker’s first official MC, plus maybe one or two who’ll hang around today. By nightfall, that count will be down by at least one, and the rest is up to you.” Retro’s feet disappeared, and he bent double, long hair flowing down to hide his face as he tugged on boots. “I’m going to ride west with Blackie’s crew, eat lunch with ’em, then hie my ass back here.” His neck angled, and he shot Einstein a grin. “Mostly I’m gettin’ out of cleanup duties. Not my clubhouse, no reason to add my sweat equity to the mix. Monday’ll be down here in a few days. He can represent all he wants.” Retro straightened. “As can you, from today forward. Gonna be weird as fuck not knowing by the day what’s goin’ on in your head, brother.”
“You’ll hear from me on the regular.” Einstein took the stairs in three strides and settled his vest, working his shoulders until it swung freely around his hips. He closed the distance between himself and his president, his brother. “Wouldn’t be right not to. If Monday’s representing down here, then what I’m doing is representing out there, on the road. Man needs to know what he’s thrown out into the world, and I’ll keep you in the know.”
“Fuckin’ right you will.” Retro slapped a meaty palm against his shoulder, the sting not mitigated by the thin shirt Einstein wore. Motherfucker. “You will, or I’ll have your ass. Won’t be no ‘in the round’ conversation. I’ll tell you again tonight, but I have two fuckin’ rules for this bullshit.”
“Lay ’em on me, man.” Shoulders back, he waited, gaze locked with Retro.
“One, you check in every couple of days. Me, Mudd, Marlin, Crazy Mike, don’t matter. Checking in will consist of a location, garnered information, insights, and outcomes. I want to know where you are, who you talked to, what you gained from those conversations, and where they’re taking you next. I know finding out Bane’s the brother throws a crimp in your initial thoughts, but something in my gut says you were on to something. Probably be good to follow that up.” Retro stepped closer, the tips of his boots overlapping Einstein’s. Leaning in, he shoved his face within inches. “Second, you fuckin’ keep breathin’. You have more than a passing thought otherwise, you give me a call and I’ll come to you. Won’t matter where or when, so don’t give a bullshit excuse of me bein’ busy. You breathin’ matters to me, Jim. That’s the only way this’ll work.”
“What happened to my family isn’t your fault.” This was the first time he’d seen the depths of guilt hiding in Retro’s eyes. The heaviness was crippling, stripping his breath away, so his words
were weak, without force. “Not a bit of it is on your doorstep, Jerry.”
“You can say that all you want.” Retro swung his head side to side slowly, hair quivering as it trailed over his shoulders. “Won’t make it a lick truer than it was the first time. I shoulda given more weight to the man’s ask. Shoulda looked deeper. Shoulda dug until I hit blood and bone.” Muscles in Retro’s jaw quivered and flexed. “I didn’t. Had shit goin’ on that felt more pressing. My own shit with Trina and her old man, shit with the cartel, pressure from the north to suck in a couple of riding clubs and clean up their mess—and in retrospect, wasn’t any one of those things more important than looking into a club’s president asking for sanctuary.”
“You couldn’t know.” The muscles in his throat tensed, chokingly tight as Einstein tried to swallow. “Nobody could have known just from what he gave us then.”
“I shoulda. What’s the Bible say? ‘Pride goeth before a fall?’ Ain’t right you took that fall in my place.” The sideways wrench of Retro’s mouth was painful to see.
Man has got to understand.
“Coulda been your kids. Little Saya or Jimmy? Are you looking to trade eye for an eye? Say no, brother. Please God, say no. I can’t stand the idea. Not saying I can stand the idea of my Makayla gone, either. Neither way makes a bit of sense. You losing one of your kids isn’t right.” They needed to move on from this topic or Einstein wouldn’t last. “You’ve gotta understand, it’s not on you. Man came after me, and I’ve got to believe I did everything I could. That it’s not for lack of trying that they died.”
Casting his glance around, Einstein saw a bundle of flowers along the front edge of the steps. “Like those white lilies there. High traffic area, but they’ve prevailed. Man comes along with a shovel and digs ’em up by the roots, there’s nothing they could do. All that work, that striving—and it’s not enough. Someone persistent enough, someone dogged in their desire to destroy the beauty in their path? Not a lot someone not in the moment can do. Even if Vanna was standing right here, stave in her hand, they could get close enough to do a lot of damage. Might salvage one root, enough to transplant and save. Would take work, and that’s where you came in on this tale. All there was left was me, and me alone. I would have withered and died. Eaten a bullet. But you wouldn’t let it happen. Coddled me, set me on a path of salvation even if I can’t catch up to the healing part yet. So you saying it’s your fault? Fuck, brother. I don’t know, but it isn’t right. Take the win you fought for. Take it and run.”
Wordlessly Retro stepped forwards, arms wrapping around Einstein’s shoulders like they never planned on letting go. Tight grip, almost fierce in the angry pain that still rolled off Retro. A big hand cradled the back of Einstein’s head, moving him so Retro’s mouth was at his ear.
“Count myself lucky that you’re still with us, brother. The pain, Jesus God. I cannot imagine. Won’t. My fuckin’ heart breaks in two every time I think about it. Losin’ my kids would kill me, which makes you a stronger man than me, because you’re still puttin’ one foot in front of the other. Trusting you’ll keep on that path, brother. My brother. Gonna be the one and only nomad on books for the Bama Bastards. Fuckin’ hope you find another brand of happy out there, man.”
“Me too, Retro.” Wrapping his fingers around the edges of Retro’s vest, he pulled his friend closer. “Fuckin’ me too.”
Chapter Eight
Marian
Rolling her shoulders didn’t ease the ache that had built all afternoon. She paused and propped the fist holding a scrub brush against her hip, using the back of her other wrist to push hair away from the sides of her sweaty face.
Listening to Bane speak in general terms about the state of the building hadn’t prepared her for the reality. The club—and she mentally gave herself a high five at remembering to call it that—had purchased an old retail store located along the downtown stretch of highway. Driven out of business by a big box store one town over, the previous owners had sold down to the bare walls, fixtures and all. So that was a plus. But they’d left behind anything without value, which meant their first few hours in the building had been spent hauling boxes of unidentifiable stuff to a dumpster outside the back door.
Einstein had talked Bane into focusing on the downstairs first, so they were at least able to see the dent they’d made in the mess. She was glad. She’d toured the upstairs. It was a different kind of disaster.
Earlier, Marian had been in a small room along the farthest edge of the balcony that overlooked the main downstairs area. Probably some kind of office, with the windows on two walls and grooves ground into the floor from something sliding back and forth—maybe a chair? Next to one of the windows had been a thin mattress, something similar to what she’d used at her father’s house. More a foam pad than anything else, it was spotted with indecipherable stains. She’d been toeing at some unique-looking trash that littered the floor nearby when Einstein walked in.
He’d choked and called her away from where she stood. She’d made her way over with a frown. Then he’d managed to embarrass and educate her within a few words. The things she’d touched with the tip of her shoes were condoms, used during sex. Ugh. Someone, likely the local high school kids, had been using the room to hook up with their boy- or girlfriend.
Just remembering the way Einstein had looked at her had Marian’s face going scalding hot again. It had taken her about a half a second to vacate the room and the floor, racing down the stairs to position herself within a room already cleared of debris, scrubbing brush in hand.
Her stomach grumbled, and she gave it a pat, frowning down at the dark mark left on her shirt. Doing a top to bottom clean on something like this was dirty work—she glanced around the room with a sense of satisfaction—but worth it when the end results looked so good.
“Marian.” Someone called her name from the main room, and she walked to the door. She was surprised that there were only two men present and looked around for the others. The last time she’d been in the room, the overlapping voices of nearly a dozen people had been overwhelming, driving her back into her self-assigned chores.
“Told you she didn’t leave with Bane.” Horse gestured towards Marian. “I don’t think he realized you were still here. No one remembers seeing you at lunch.”
Hands clasped in front of her waist, she shook her head. Lunch had come and gone, a buffet of pizza and wings that had smelled really spicy, so after peeking out of the room, she’d passed on making her own plate.
“Give me a minute, I’ll call him back.” Einstein lifted his phone to his ear, chin angled towards the ground. “Bane, yeah, man. Come back and pick up Marian.” His gaze cut to where she still stood, in the doorway of the small downstairs room. “Yeah, she’s here. I’m lookin’ right at her, man.” His neck bent, head dropping farther towards the floor. “No man, we’re on bikes.”
“I can give her a ride, if he’s tied up.” Horse’s grin her direction was slow and confident, but all she could think about were his previous words, detailing what he saw as her stupidity.
Shoulders curving in on herself, she shook her head. “It’s okay. I can walk. It’s not a far stretch.”
“You’re not walking,” Einstein shot at her, then groaned. “Seriously, man? You can’t—” He groaned again. “Yeah, if your old lady’s not feelin’ it, then you need to stay with her. I get it. We’ll sort things here.”
“You can call Gunny.” Marian was surprised by Horse’s laughter, low and rolling. “Maybe Sharon or Vanna can come get me?”
“You can ride with me.” Einstein poked at the surface of his phone with a rigid finger. “Unless you have a problem with it?”
You were the one with a problem earlier. What changed? Marian tried to keep the question off her face.
“Seriously, you can ride with me. Stop lookin’ at me like that.” Shoving the device into the front pocket of his jeans, he shrugged. “It’s no big deal. Long as you feel safe with me.”
Clearl
y she’d failed.
“I’d feel safe.”
“And me over here feelin’ like chopped liver now.” Horse laughed again. “Not that I blame you, Marian. But I want you to know I’m sorry if I offended you before. In my own way, feeble as it was, I was tryin’ to look out for you.”
“It’s okay.” Marian shifted her gaze between the two men, finding matching expressions of annoyance. “I’m not offended, Horse.”
“Maybe you should be.” Einstein stalked away towards the front of the building. “But either way, come on. We’ve got to lock up and get back to the houses. Vanna and Gunny are doing some grilling.” Her stomach gurgled again, this time louder. “And from the sounds of it, you need something to eat.”
“See you there.” Horse swung past where Einstein was in the doorway, staring back at Marian. His mouth split in a broad smile, and he gave her a wink as he told Einstein, “Have fun, brother.”
“Come on, Marian.” As she approached, Einstein held out a hand, and she accepted it. Only afterwards did she realize that hadn’t been his intent, her grip on his broad palm a surprise. He didn’t shake her loose, however, just angled himself to grab the door with his other hand, pulling it closed behind her.
Without releasing her hand, he turned a key in the padlock, then pocketed the keychain and turned, using their joined grip to lead her towards his bike.
This morning he’d been so adamant that he didn’t allow passengers, his anger and pain a palpable force that had pushed him from the room, from the house. It had been hours later when she’d seen him again, upstairs here. That kind of reaction shouldn’t have changed in such a short time, and she considered her words as they watched Horse’s motorcycle angle out of the parking lot and onto the highway, the deep blat of his exhaust quickly diminishing in volume.
“I really wouldn’t mind walking.” His fingers tightened around hers, the rejection of her words immediate and unmistakable. “This is something that makes you uncomfortable, and that’s the last thing I want to do, Einstein. You’ve been unfailingly kind to me.”
Tangled Threats on the Nomad Highway Page 15