Broken & Burned (17 page)

People were drifting to their machines and I got on mine. I put on my helmet and glasses and Em put her brain bucket on. I adjusted the chin strap for her and brought out a spare pair of clear safety glasses for her, she slid them on and got on behind me. I started the bike and put up her kickstand and Everett snugged close into my back, her arms twining around me. Damn but she felt good against me. We weren’t staying too long at the bar. I wanted to make good on my promise. I really did.

My dad pulled out first, me just behind to his right, Trig just behind to his left. Reaver behind me, Doc behind Trig, Data behind Doc, Loyal behind Reaver then Zander and Andy. Our tail gunner was our most experienced rider so that would be Gypsy. We flowed out the gates and turned onto the highway making for the center of town and the night life it held. We usually went to The Spot bar and grill when we had the women with us. Sugar’s, which was the local tittie bar, when we didn’t.

Everett settled in behind me like she’d been born on a bike and I checked her out in my side view. She was smiling and her smile was huge and as carefree and full of life as I had ever seen it, which was to say I’d only ever seen it on her like this when she danced, or when I’d been moving inside her. At any rate, thank you Jesus! She liked it, no, I was pretty sure she loved it. I heard her laugh, bright and beautiful and I called out.

“You like it!?”

“I can’t believe I’ve never done this before! Thank you!” she called back. I grinned and opened up the throttle a little more. I glanced over at Trig and Ashton and smiled. Ashton looked as calm and serene as you ever saw her. Trigger about the same. I knew the feeling.

The ride was too damned short. Only about ten minutes but there was nothing like riding in a pack with your brothers. It had a whole different feel from solo riding, though it was a tough call on which I liked better. All though riding just me and Everett might take the top spot. I couldn’t wait to test the theory. We lined up at the street in front of The Spot and backed our bikes to the curb in the places we could find that were vacant of cars or where there was enough room for a bike or two but not for another car between them. Patrons on The Spot’s front deck and outside surrounding bars and clubs turned and watched the main drag take over. Leaning into one another and speaking in hushed tones.

The looks were a mixture of awe, entertainment, fear, distaste and even some arrogance. I’d seen it a million times and didn’t give two fucks what any of them thought. Neither did my old man and neither did my brothers. I helped Em off my bike and she was glowing, nose and cheeks red from the crisp cold of the autumn ride.

“I think I’m going to like that!” she stated and I laughed and left our helmets and glasses with the bike.

“Go with Sunshine and the girls and find us some tables Baby? I got some business out here.” She smiled and nodded and leaned forward and kissed me. Her lips cold against mine. I smiled against them.

“Don’t plan on stayin’ long.” I said against them and she smiled.

“I’m holding you to that.” She said gently.

“Be disappointed if you didn’t.” I called after her.

I pulled out one of my clove cigarettes and put it between my lips. I pulled a lighter out of the little pocket in my jacket meant for it and lit it, sucking in the spicy sweet smoke. Trigger looked at me with a cross between disgust and longing and took a drag off his blue tipped e-cig. I laughed at him.

“Pussy.” I said and he raised an eyebrow.

“Shit you’re smokin’ ain’t real either bitch.” He said with a grin.

“More real ‘n the bitch cig you got in your hand.” I said and he hooked a massive arm around my neck and shoved me forward towards the rest of our brothers with a massive hand on the back of my head. I laughed and stumbled forward. Yeah, my relationship with Trigger was greatly improved over the summer.

“Listen up!” My pops bellowed and we gave him our full attention.

“Squick and Zander here have expressed an interest in becoming official hang-around’s of Sacred Hearts. I wanna put it to a fast vote. Anyone
not
in favor put it up!” no hands went up.

“Congrats boys. You’re on your first step of becoming a Sacred Heart’s man.” He handed them each a black denim cut. They smiled and there was a little cheering and applauding from our small group.

“You understand you need to find sponsors before becoming official prospects and that you can’t have the same one.” Dragon said to them and they both nodded. I looked over to Zander and gave him a chin lift, Reaver was doing the same to Squick. They each caught on and nodded back.

“Good, glad that’s settled, let’s get our drink on.” My pops grunted and we filed towards the bar. Zander fell into step beside me.

“So how does this work?” he asked. I climbed over the railing onto the deck and he followed suit. They checked ID’s at the bar here rather than the door. It was a pain in the ass getting it out every time you wanted a drink but hey, it made it easy to get shit to someone slightly under age, like Em. Twenty-one next month. I blew out a plume of fragrant smoke.

“Three to six months in that cut, then we put it to a vote, a year in a prospect’s cut, sometimes less, sometimes more, depending and then we put it to another vote. You got any questions or need any guidance you come to me as your sponsor first. You got a beef, you follow the chain of command; we’ll get it sorted out.” I sucked down another long drag. Trigger passed us with his e-cig and flipped me the bird as he skated right on in through the front door. I barked a laugh. He had me there.

“Dues?” Zander asked.

“Talk to Reaver, he’s our treasurer and in charge of that shit. I can barely balance my fucking bank account.” Zander laughed and I slapped him on the back and I put out my cig. We moved inside towards a set of tables near the back where the girls were at. When I reached her seat Em smiled up at me. I put my lips near her ear.

“We’re staying for an hour.” I murmured and I felt her nod, I put some heat and steel into my next words.

“One drink Em,” I told her, “I mean it. I want you completely aware and to feel everything I do to you tonight.” I felt her shudder against my chest and to drive my point home I put an arm across her chest and pulled her back into me where I leaned over her. I kissed the shell of her ear and let her go, stepping back. Her chest rose and fell as if she were trying to catch her breath and I felt a little self-satisfied grin curve my lips.

“Prospect get me a beer and my girl one of her Irish whisky’s.” I said to Loyal and added almost as an afterthought, “Get yourself whatever you want. I’m buyin’.” And I slapped enough green into his had to make it so and leave a generous tip for the bartender. He looked to Em and got a few points for it, she smiled.

“Bushnell’s please.” she called above the conversation and the band setting up on stage.

“You got it.” He told her and me and smiled, heading for the bar. I couldn’t be a dick
all the time.
I’d been down that road and it was busted as fuck. I was still trying to find my way back with a lot of these fuckers. While things were markedly improved they weren’t what they could be. Not yet anyways.

The girls laughed and talked and I let my eyes skate across Hayden, she looked vivacious and alive and I smiled. Reaver was looking at her and smiling, he looked like the cat who’d gotten the cream and I thought to myself,
good luck with that.
I mean she was getting hitched but the way he looked at her was the most human I’d seen him look at a girl in a while.

His glacial gaze caught mine and his expression startled for a second. I raised an eyebrow and he glanced at Hayden and put some space between them. Em was talking animatedly with her and the other girls and I jerked my head towards the outside.

Time for me to live up to my title some. I’d just had a cigarette but fuck, I could have another if it gave us an excuse to go out where we couldn’t be heard. I kissed Em’s temple and got up, she smiled but didn’t say anything and so Reaver and I went for the smoker’s porch outside. Loyal handed me my beer as I passed him on his way back to the tables. He took one look at Reaver and handed him the one I’d told him to buy for himself. Good fucking man. I made serious note of that. It impressed the hell out of me. What impressed me more was that he took my girl her drink before returning to the bar to get another for himself. Reaver took a pull off his beer and we went outside.

“Dude, Reaver man, what’s the story?” I asked him. He leaned against the railing and I quirked an eyebrow. He was wearing his cut, but his jacket was conspicuously absent. The leather of his vest gleaming softly in the streetlight against the deeper, light absorbing black of his pull over hoodie. He was silent too long.

“She’s getting married man.” I said in a low voice, meant to be soothing rather than accusatory.

“I know. I know!” he made a frustrated sound and scrubbed a hand over his face before smoothing his faux hawk down to the point between his eyes.

“If you know then why you doin’ what you’re doin’?” I asked him.

“Can’t help myself.” He said plaintively.

“Well unless you plan on taking him out, which I do not recommend, I’d slow your roll Bro.” I told him. He looked slightly miserable and made a face that told me to tell him something he hadn’t told himself a million times before.

“Think anyone else has caught it yet?” he asked me bleakly. The question took me aback and I countered with one of my own.

“Just how into this chick are you?” I asked him. He huffed out a laugh.

“She had me the second she laid those hallowed green eyes on me when she came out the locker room behind Ashton.” He confessed. I frowned, I didn’t get the reference I wasn’t there but I figured it was safe to assume he meant the first time they ever met. “Couldn’t get her off my mind, then weeks later she comes flying out the damned entrance to the Y with that rock on her finger and I swear to Christ it was like watching Aimee walk away all over again.” I blinked. Now
that
was some heavy shit and a reference I knew all too well.

Aimee had been Reaver’s first true love, high school sweetheart. His penchant for trouble and an addiction to smack had cost him that relationship and so much more. If he was comparing Hayden to Aimee then whatever he had going on in that half-cracked psycho psyche of his was serious trouble. I lit a cigarette, took a long thoughtful drag on it and leaned the arm holding my beer on the railing.

“I know that this is all spanking new to me but I think I know where you’re at.” I said finally. He looked me over and smiled.

“Yeah you’re all in with Irish.” He was grinning and I felt an answering one of my own. I looked down at the glowing end of my cigarette.

“What do you want for Hayden?” I asked him.

“I want her to be happy…” he trailed off.

“And?” I prompted.

“I think she’s making a huge mistake with this Andy guy, he’s never a-fucking-round when she needs him. I got a bad feeling about it.” he said.

“She’s a grown ass woman capable of making her own mistakes.” I pointed out.

“I suppose you’re gonna say she don’t need me tryin’ to ride in like some kind of white knight or some shit.” He said.

“Pretty much.” I said.

“You sound like Trig.” He snorted.

“Yeah well he might be big but he’s not dumb.” I said and the man in question shoved through the crowd.

“Woah! I heard that!” he said and we three chuckled over it.

“What’re we talking about?” he asked.

“Hayden.” Reaver and I said at the same time. Trigger scowled.

“I’m tellin’ you brother. Stay out of it.” the big man said. Reaver nodded.

“I said the same thing.” I told him and took another drag. I held the cig out to Trigger who, no shit, looked around for Ashton first. I snorted and he took it from me and drew the real smoke into his lungs. He held it and sighed out like it was one of the best things ever. I drank some of my beer and grinned at him.

“Fuck I miss smoking, like real smoking. This vaping shit is a pale fucking imitation.” He made to hand me the cig back but I shook my head and let him keep it. He flashed me a grateful look.

“How the fuck did you stand it as a sniper?” I asked him. He chuckled.

“Total different mindset.” He said like that explained everything, which in a way it did. I snorted. My old man joined our little deck party.

“What we talking about?” he asked.

“Pussy.” Reaver answered crudely but truthfully.

“Shit man, we got bitches a plenty at the club house lately.” My dad grinned through his beard and we all laughed. Sad but true, they were starting to outnumber us.

“I see any fucking tampons in the medicine cabinets at the club house, shit’s gonna have to change.” Trigger said. I laughed outright.

“You’re the most whipped out of all of us big man.” I pointed out dryly.

“You’re right behind me junior.” He said and I shrugged a shoulder and took a drink off my beer.

“What’re they doing? Talking about doing each other’s nails?” Reaver asked. My dad laughed.

“Your Irish girl is on the dance floor with Hayden and Shells. Ashton and Chandra are chatting it up with the hang-arounds and prospect. Gypsy and Doc are playing darts and Data has his nose buried in some game on his phone.” Leave it to my pops to know what every one of his people were up to.

“Yeah well she better not wear herself out too much. I’ma bounce in a bit an’ fuck her good.” I said. The guys, including my pops all nodded.

“Good plan.” Reaver stated. I finished my beer.

“Yeah, I’m tired of waiting to act on it. Too much life getting in the way lately.” I said and set the empty beer bottle on a table with a growing line of dead soldiers on it.

“That’s my boy,” my pops said and gave a mock sniff, wiping a fake tear from the corner of his eye, “You do your daddy proud!” he said with a fake warble in his voice.

“Fuuuuck you old man!” I said laughing. He laughed along with me and we pulled each other into one another and hugged. A manly embrace. I clasped hands with Trigger and Reaver and went back into the hot enclosed space of the bar. I wound my way through the crowd on the dance floor and located Everett. I pulled her back into me and nipped the side of her neck. I know she gasped even though I couldn’t hear it and the knowledge made me smile.