“Instead of working behind the bar I would like for you to spend a few hours with this.” I reach into my desk and pull out a personal recorder. “Boots can show you how to use it and then give it to him at night so he can get all the information from it. Try to remember anything that happened in the club that took someone out of play or anyone that would hold a grudge. Then tomorrow if you can give us a list of people that we worked with and the outcome of it or any dealings with Diamondback’s family. I don’t know any specific information that will be useful right now, but just anything that you feel is important or anything that you questioned. I have the books from back in the days before us but that didn’t help much. Most of the people are either dead or sitting out time in a prison cell. All of it may come in useful down the line. This is your work from now on and don’t start on the crap about pulling your weight. This may help more than anything and you have earned the rest, just lean on your brothers. It’s the same thing you would say to any other brother. We’ll take care of you.” I know that isn’t how Drexler feels but he will find out that this new bloodline of destruction honors all the old-timers and fallen brothers. Drexler takes a few minutes, but he makes it out the door. I need to call his doctor in Sulphur Springs today and get him out here tomorrow to check Drexler out again. His breathing just getting out of the chair was labored and his color is off. I pick my phone up and send both the doctor and Boots a message. Shield and Stealth are sitting across from me and I am letting the whirl wind of events swirl through my head.

  “I want trackers put on Slayer and Ritter’s bikes and in some of their personal items. Church needs to happen as soon as they are out of town. Give them cash for this trip and make it just enough to have a few extra bucks to spend in the bars and that includes the motel. I don’t want them back too soon and by the time they get back I want their rooms so bugged that they can’t fart without us hearing it and eyes to see everything. I had rather make it sooner rather than later that they be caught. We can’t do the things we need to with a couple of traitors in our midst. It’s time for the two of them to find a new home anyway. I don’t trust either of them to have my back and I know I’m not the only one to feel that way. We’ll vote on it in church on how to proceed.” We have a lot on the schedule to talk about.

  “We might talk with Rye. That old man knows many people and he never forgets anything. He may have heard something through other people he knows.” Shield is right.

  “We need to vote on who we bring in on this matter. We may want to keep it amongst ourselves until it’s necessary. The fewer people that know right now, the better. At least until we have time to take all this to the brothers. Just because we have moved and are making changes doesn’t mean we can’t handle our matters in our own backyard. It will make us look weak.” I consider Stealth’s words and some of the things ring true. We have never been a club to ask for help except as the last resort and I don’t want that to change. No matter how many markers are owed to us doesn’t mean we call them in. We can handle anything this life throws at us. The easier way isn’t always the best way. I look between Shield and Stealth.

  “We’re going to keep this between us until we can get a vote. I don’t want to call in outsiders without it being the last resort. If nothing else, we will kill the fuckers and dispose of the bodies if they betrayed us. I just want to know that when we prove beyond a doubt that is what they did, that we get anyone that helped them. I don’t want to clean this mess up halfway then need to finish it some other time.” Shield and Stealth both nod their heads in agreement.

  “Shield, I need for you to keep an eye on the Bass ranch to make sure everything remains calm there. I feel better with Rye there but there is no telling if he will just up and leave one day. He’s claiming Deb as his, but those Black brothers have a way with leaving without looking back. I didn’t see any ink or leather on her back. You don’t need to be up in their business or anything, just make sure that everything is running as normal.” This gets an eyebrow raise from both my brothers.

  “I thought we were staying clear of the Bass ranch and letting them handle their own shit,” Stealth states and I can see the challenge in his eyes. Shield starts to say something but I hold my hand up and he holds his tongue.

  “We still will keep them safe from a distance. Shield, if you see anything out of the norm then give Rye a call and tell him if he needs backup then give us a call but if he doesn’t then we stay put until we see danger.” I don’t want either of these men riding my ass about Micah.

  “This is just about our promise to Diamondback then?” Shield asks.

  “Yes.” I give no room for argument or furthering the conversation. No one knows about Micah’s and my encounter in the bunkhouse and it will stay that way. “I need to get to town and look at that laundromat on Locust Street. I think it might be our next investment. The price is low and the repairs it needs can be done by us. It’s not rocket science just old-fashioned hard work and we have plenty of backs to do it. I’ll let everyone know more when I talk to the owner.” Both Shield and Stealth are giving me the eye, but I don’t want to talk to them about something I can’t get a grip on myself. I have felt the last few days like something is missing and I have a churning gut over it. Last night my cock didn’t even react to Lee and Dee putting on a little show for us on top of the bar. I know the best way to get Micah out of my system is to fuck her out but right now my body isn’t cooperating. I need more variety. When I am in town, I need to pick me up a little redhead and spend some time with her, no a leggy redhead with big tits. The total opposite of Micah, yeah, that is it. “You two need me, text. I may be in town for a few hours.” Shield shakes his head at me, but Stealth gives me a sideways smirk. They both know what I have plans to do. Stealth would cheer me on and tell me it’s what I need to do but Shield is disappointed in me, and to be honest, I am disappointed with myself. I should have never let Micah into my heart and I know now that is exactly where she is, but I know I saw the hurt I had caused her and I need to respect her wishes and let her have that last move of getting shod of me. I also know I need to get a grip on myself and quit being a pussy about it and get on with my life as it should be. I grab my phone and some extra cash in my desk drawer. I stand up and Shield looks like he wants to say something but Stealth nudges him with his foot. I walk to the door and Stealth and Shield are right behind me. “Later.” I don’t wait for a response. I need the wind in my face.

  14

  Micah…

  The day-to-day transition from Aunt Deb to myself has been going smoothly but I didn’t know she had so many people to deal with every day. I spend most of my time on the phone with things that make no difference in the plans we have, so I have started distancing the ranch from anything that is not necessary for the time being. I did it nicely even if it killed me. Placating people is something else I have no patience for. I prefer to just lay the truth on the line, and they can either like it or not. I no longer have that luxury. I am forced to coddle grown-ass people. Who knows, my people skills may improve, or not.

  The person that has had me laughing the last few days is Hemi. Hemric Preece came into our home in his uptown clothes and with an uppity attitude. I disliked him on sight, but I tried to be nice. The man is so out of his element on our ranch that it’s laughable and somewhere along the way I stopped laughing at him and started laughing with him. I don’t know how it happened, but we have become friends. I have been calling him by his high school nickname for the last week and it comes naturally. When he opens his mouth and starts talking analytical statistics and other areas of his expertise, I quit listening before I say something hurtful. This is the nerd side of him and one I don’t get. He’s very appealing to the eye and looks like he works out every day but there is something in his manner, how he carries himself and a look in his eyes at times that puts me off. I think it’s just my suspicious side of anyone or anything that isn’t familiar, or it could be my woman’s intuition. Call it whatever but it makes me keep my distance to an extent. It’s just I don’t want to go there with a man yet. I just like having someone to talk with that listens to me. He not only listens to everything I have to say but he also doesn’t try to force me to listen to how he would do things or try to sway my actions. Right now, having a man as anything but a friend is something I don’t want to think about. I want to move on with my life, but I am taking life one day at a time. I’m sure Sarge has had his share of other women by now but that isn’t what I want in my life. A knock on my office door brings me out of my thoughts. “Come in.” Hemi walks in and I smile at the man. He’s in a short sleeve dress shirt with a bow tie, but there is something different in the way he is looking at me.

  “Good morning beautiful. I came to make your day and mine, how about a quick lunch with me in town to get to know each other a little better?” Hemi asks me. This is something he has done many times since he has been here, and I have managed to get out of every invitation without being rude. I have tried to be subtle, but I guess that is not working.

  “Take a load off.” Hemi doesn’t always get my southern phrases or pretends not too. There’s something that tells me he understands what he wants to, again just a suspicion. “Hemi, we need to discuss our friendship. I don’t want to lead you on that we are anything but friends. I am not ready for anything more and don’t know when I will be.” He gives me an odd look but then it’s gone.

  “It’s just a lunch, friends getting to know each other while we eat. You need to eat and get out of this office for a little while and I need to eat. You’re the only friend that I have made here and the other guys the college sent with me only want to party and pick up women. I’d much more prefer to get to know my new friend and it’s not like I’m asking you to marry me, no matter how appealing that idea is to me.” That gets my attention. Hemi is way off base.

  “I won’t be able to have lunch with you today or any day. I prefer to keep our relationship professional.” He raises his eyebrow. “I have been trying to be friendly with you while you are here. I would put our friendship in a working relationship category which leads to the professional part, and I don’t want you to misconstrue any of my remarks or actions as flirting or anything else. You will be moving on soon and I would like to have a fond memory of you as a person that we may do business with down the road, even if I have no idea on what matter that would be on our ranch. In fact, what is taking your group so long? I believe that my aunt Deb gave you a very specific timeline to do what you are here to do, and you have gone over that allotted time.” Hemric’s smile is gone and I see a cruel look in his eye for a flash of a second and then it’s gone but I know I didn’t imagine it. The hairs on the back of my neck are standing on end. I reach for my phone, but he grabs it first and throws it against the wall. I reach by my knee and push the panic button that is connected to the barn and Aunt Deb’s room.

  “Listen bitch, I have tried to play nice, but you are one shell hard to crack, from what I heard you are a slut that spreads her legs for anyone.” Hemric pulls the clip-on bow tie off and flings it on the floor. “Now I am in charge and you better listen to every damn word I tell you, because if you think I will put up with that smartass mouth on you then you are very wrong. I will put you on your knees and show you what I will use that mouth of yours for. I have had enough of women running things and it is my time.” I know Hemric is not what he wanted us to believe and I also know that if I don’t use my head I could be in trouble. Hemric’s demeanor just did that whole turning of the head and I am waiting for the green soup spewing to start. That makes me smile but Hemric must not like it. “You think I’m playing with you?” I think it’s time to cool this man down a little or send him over the edge.

  “Wow, that had to feel empowering to just let it all hang out like that. Now who are you and what the hell do you want?” I see the office door is opened a little and I know someone is standing on the other side, but the question is, is it a friendly or an enemy? Only time will tell, time to push on. I don’t do the cool down thing very well so I might as well push him over the edge. “Cat got your tongue now, or are you too much of a snake in the grass to tell the truth?” I watch as Hemric takes pictures out of his back pocket along with some papers. I pick the pictures up and some of them are of me with Sarge in various stages of undress and finally of one with us both buck naked and Sarge fucking me from behind while I was leaned over his bike. I look at the other and I see pictures of Aunt Deb with another woman and a man. There had to be a camera set up in the room because it was at a perfect angle. I don’t know who the man and woman she is with are and then there are a couple of other photos with Aunt Deb holding a gun on a man. I don’t know what the point is of the photos. I pick up the papers that Hemric threw on my desk and unfold them. It seems Hemric has lost all of his good sense. This is a prenuptial agreement between him and me. I rip the papers up.

  “That was a mistake that’ll you’ll regret but it’s only one of a few copies I have,” Hemric tells me with a menacing look on his face. He’s trying to look scary and intimidating but this just won’t work with me. I am not intimidated by anyone. “I haven’t lied about who I am, but then again, I haven’t told the truth either. I am Hemric Preece and I can be a gentleman when I want to be, but I don’t work with a suit on. I know none of this is making much sense to you, but don’t worry your little head about any of that, I will explain it all where even a simpleton like you can follow. You are right it feels fantastic to drop all the pretenses.” This man likes to hear himself talk and he is long winded about it.

  “Just get on with whatever you have to say and then leave my property and don’t come back,” I tell him with a stern voice. I won’t cower to this man. I know I should handle this in a better way, but he is pissing me off. What could cause a man to become so delusional in such a brief period of time?

  “Well don’t you sound like the all high and mighty. Don’t you see how those photos could make your life a living hell right now?” He has me puzzled because I don’t, and I don’t know why or how he has them. The pictures of Aunt Deb were taken years ago. Hemric is pacing the floor and has his back to me in the spacious office, so I slip my hand on the top of the desk and pull the letter opener to me and put it under my leg. Hemric turns sharply back around but I don’t think he caught me. He doesn’t act like he did. I feel somewhat safer. Hemric comes back in front of my desk and sits down and a calm has come over him. “You’re going to marry me, and this ranch is going to become our home. You are going to sue both your sister and aunt for full ownership. Maddie is off in Colorado and raising her brood with a biker and your aunt is making plans to take off with another filthy biker. Is that all you Bass women know, is giving your bodies up to men that don’t even stay loyal to you or believe in one woman at a time? Your mom was the same way, nothing but white trash. I am taking what is rightly mine and if that means I need to marry you to get it then that is exactly what I will do. After you file the papers against your sister and aunt they will fold and sign everything over to you and it will go into our names because by then we will be married.” I laugh at Hemric and the rage in his eyes only makes me laugh harder.

  “You have gone stark-raving mad if you think I bow to any man. I would never file papers against my family, that isn’t how we work and they would both know that I was being forced to do it. Hemric you don’t have what it takes to make me do anything that I don’t want to.” I know my backup is here, it’s been too long. My best guess is they want me to keep Hemric talking so we can find out information from Hemric.

  “Look at the picture of your aunt holding that gun on that man. Do you recognize that man? I can tell you that he was found dead two weeks after that photo was taken. That may not be enough to get a conviction but if you look at that gun it’s a forty-five and that was the kind of bullet that was taken out of his riddled body. He was shot six times. Sounds like a woman scorned to me. All that built up rage and hate. The woman was found dead three days after that with a bullet from the same gun. I happen to know your aunt has more than one forty-five registered to her. You shared with me the big plans that you have for the ranch but how many people will give you a chance to get your foot in the door on your new plans if there is a scandal shadowing you and just let me guarantee you this will go as wide and far as the media and social media can spread it.” Hemric just doesn’t know the women he is dealing with. “Then there are more pictures and facts I have on both your sisters. The Oklahoma sister may have nothing to do with this ranch but the dirt I have on that woman will have them throwing her entire family into a jail in hell.” The smirk on his face as he says it is the straw that will break his back. Hemric is in my face before I know it and has my hair in his hands and is pulling it back. I stand up but first I am sure I have the letter opener securely in my hand. Hemric is watching my face and not paying attention to my hands. That changes when he feels the letter opener’s sharp edge digging into his balls. Then I see the pain in his eyes. I smirk back at Hemric. He doesn’t release me, and I don’t release him. Then the door is pushed open and I see Aunt Deb, Rye, and Henry come into the room and all are loaded for bear. That makes me laugh.

  “Sit your ass in the chair boy,” Rye says with his deep cold voice. “I won’t repeat myself. Micah, you might want to put the letter opener down so he can back away.”

  “Nope, I like this letter opener right where it is, in fact, I think I might need to dig in a little deeper.” Hemric and I are still in a stare down. I twist my weapon a little to the right and I see the pain in his eyes, but he doesn’t utter a single noise. Maybe Hemric isn’t the pansy ass I thought he was. Hemric releases my hair and I withdraw the letter opener, but I don’t do it easily. I see the blood stain on the front of Hemric’s slacks. He’ll need that fixed sooner or later but with Rye being here it may be the least of his worries. Hemric sits in the chair and Aunt Deb comes to look me over. When she sees no blood on me, then she relaxes. She raised us to be able to take whatever we dish out and we took those lessons seriously. I watch her turn on Hemric but Rye steps between Aunt Deb and the chair that Hemric is sitting in and whispers something in her ear, then they both look at me. Aunt Deb walks to me and stands beside me but Rye looks down at Hemric.