Cowboy Chapter 4 #3
It was no surprise to see Diablo with his old lady, Jauhnna.
They were holding their six-week-old son, Kody.
Their seven-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Jaycee, and two-and-a-half-year-old son, Chasin, were playing with toys in the nearby children’s corner.
Not far from them was our VP, Scorpion, with his old lady, Paige, and their six-week-old twins—their son, Kamran, and daughter, Leylah.
At a nearby table sat Swerve and his old lady, Electra.
They were the newest couple and, as of yet, had no children.
With only three brothers married, eleven of us were left single.
It took me a bit to get through the hugs, handshakes, and back slaps.
When I finally did, I went to the bar to get a drink and to give Boden a hard time.
I made sure my face was screwed up into a thunderous expression.
I saw him gulp, and his pale face broke out in a sweat.
I bellied up to the bar and tipped back my cowboy hat, but didn’t have a chance to say anything before he was babbling.
“Cowboy, I swear to God, as my witness, I rode your bike like it was made of gold. I wore my leathers to ensure I protected your bike from scratches.”
“Then explain to me, prospect, why, if you did all that, there’s a scratch on the gas tank? One that can’t be overlooked,” I growled.
Boden shook his head. “There can’t be. I wiped it down at the airport, and there wasn’t a speck wrong with it. It was pristine when I left it at the airport with the others. There wasn’t a mark on it. It wasn’t me.”
“Well, it sure as hell wasn’t Judge, Punk, or Toretto. Or are you saying they did it?” I growled.
His panic increased as the three I named came to the bar and leaned on it, glaring at him.
“I-I-I,” he stuttered.
I would’ve kept it going another few minutes, but Jauhnna stopped me. “Cowboy, stop torturing poor Boden. There’s no scratch on your precious bike.”
“How do you know there isn’t?” I asked.
“Because if there was, you would’ve gone straight for him when you got here, not greeted everyone first. If you make him leave, it’ll be the rest of you doing all the jobs he does,” she reminded me.
“Ah, damn it, Serenity, why did you have to go and spoil our fun?” Diablo groused as he joined us. He wasn’t upset, as evidenced by the loving expression he gave her.
“Someone has to keep you, boys, in check,” she replied.
Diablo hooked his free arm that wasn’t holding Kody around her waist and tugged her flush against him. He let out a low growl. “Baby, I’m not a boy. Do I have to take you to our bed and show you that I’m all man?”
“Well, it has been a while. It’s hard to recall,” she teased.
He groaned. “Christ, that doctor better clear you this week,” he muttered.
“As it happens, remember when I went into town earlier, and I was gone longer than expected? I ran into Dr. Rojas. She asked how we were doing. I told her we were counting down until my appointment on Wednesday. That darling woman was sweet enough to insist I come to her office and let her do it today. She said she hated to make a grown man like you cry,” Jauhnna told Pres, smirking.
“Well, what the hell did she say? Are you okay?” he asked impatiently.
“Later, after we get the kids to bed, you and I will be having mommy-daddy time.” She winked.
Diablo let out a shout that woke Kody up.
His cries were muffled by his parents lightly cocooning him between their bodies as they kissed.
His cries brought Jaycee and Chasin over.
Leading them was Isis, Jaycee’s hearing assistance dog.
The little girl had been deaf since birth.
Behind them was Paige’s dog, Fenrir, and Swerve’s assistance dog, Dozer.
Swerve was in a wheelchair, but due to adaptations made to a custom bike, he had been patched in almost two years ago after waiting for thirteen years.
He and Scorpion were best friends. They grew up in the club from birth.
It had nearly killed Swerve not to patch in with Scorpion.
Everyone had been doubly thrilled when he got his cut.
Right around that same time, he’d been presented with Dozer.
Everyone loved seeing Swerve riding his bike with Electra clinging to him and Dozer riding in the sidecar.
I wondered how many paraplegics were members of an MC.
Once Diablo and Jauhnna parted, and the kids were assured that nothing was wrong, and Kody was soothed, I let Boden off the hook. Snagging a soda, I went over and dropped into a chair at one of the tables in the common room. My brothers gathered around.
“So, how was the rodeo?”
“Did you have fun?”
“We heard you were hanging with an outlaw club out there. What were they like?”
The questions were coming fast. Waving them to quiet down, I got to answering them.
“The rodeo was good. It was nice to meet up with people I hadn’t seen in years and to present the new World Champion with his buckle and check.
I watched several of the events. The competition was fierce this year.
I did have fun, though I’m happy to be back.
I did meet a club called the Graven Bastards.
I hung out one night with two chapters of them at their strip club.
They seem to be a decent group overall, as far as I can tell.
They were hard but not much different from us, despite their one-percenter status,” I replied.
From there, they asked a few more questions and then let me go home.
I promised I’d stop back in later that evening.
In all, I spent just over an hour in the clubhouse.
Parking my bike in the garage and carrying my bag inside, I inhaled the smell of lemon cleaner.
Nothing beats coming home to a clean house.
Bev, one of the club sluts had been in to clean.
She was a single mom who needed extra money.
One way she made it was to clean the single brothers’ houses and rooms. She was the only one we trusted enough to do it.
My first stop after removing my boots, hat, and cut was to unpack my bag.
I hated to let things lie around. Once that was done, I stripped and got into the shower.
I allowed the hot water to pour over me.
I fought not to think of Saranya while I showered, but it was impossible.
I wondered where she was, and if she was curled up somewhere in War’s arms, in his bed.
Letting out a roar, I punched the tile wall.
My knuckles split, leaving nothing but a smear of blood on the tile and blood running down my hand.
“Fuck,” I growled.
I rushed through the rest of my shower. As I did, I berated myself for thinking of her.
Saranya Coleman might be educated, but she was another woman who undoubtedly used men.
I might not be able to prevent others from falling for her, but I could protect my friend from being taken advantage of and hurt by her.
Resolve stayed with me as I dressed after putting a plaster on my knuckles.
Once I was in a pair of lounge pants, I lay on my bed and picked up my cell phone. It was time I talked to Raff and told him what his substitute was like when he wasn’t around. Finding his contact info, I pressed the call button. I was about to hang up when he answered.
“Hey, Cowboy, how’re you? It’s been a while, man. What’s up?”
He said the usual things, but I heard tiredness in his voice. I hesitated. Maybe I should wait to tell him about Saranya.
“It has been a while. Too long. I’m good. You sound tired. Are you alright?”
“I’m okay, just busy. How’s everything going with your club? I’ve been meaning to make it over your way. It’s been too long since we hung out and talked.”
“It has,” I agreed.
The silence stretched out between us. I debated telling him about Vegas for several beats, then I went for it. Nothing said I had to tell him anything about Saranya.
“As a matter of fact, it had been so long that I decided to surprise you. I was asked to attend the National Finals in Vegas this past week so I could present the newest bull riding champion with his buckle and check. I just got home from there earlier today.”
“Christ, are you kidding me? Fuck, I’m sorry, Cowboy. I feel terrible that we didn't get to see each other.”
“Hey, shit happens. I admit, I was surprised when I went looking for you, and I found a woman taking care of the animals,” I told him casually.
Raff laughed. “I bet you were. Saranya sure saved my life. I don’t know what I would’ve done if she hadn’t dropped everything to cover for me. That woman has a heart of gold. I owe her.”
I heard the warmth and affection in his tone. I stiffened. Was Raff involved with her? If so, he deserved to know.
“She said that you had a family emergency, but not what it was. Is everything alright, Raff? Do you need help?” I asked.
“No, though I appreciate your offer. It’s not anything someone else can help me with. You remember my sister CarliAnne and her son, don’t you?”
“I do.”
“Well, I got a call from CarliAnne on Sunday telling me that Austin had run away. She had no idea where he went. She was a mess, and the cops couldn’t find him.
She begged me to come home. I explained that I’d get there as soon as I could, but I had to find a replacement.
I refused to leave the rodeo in a lurch.
The only person I knew who might be able to help me was Saranya, so I called her right away.
She immediately said to give her twenty-four hours to rearrange things, and she’d get her ass to Vegas.
By Monday night, she landed and came to see me.
I knew I was leaving them in great hands, so I was able to come home reassured. ”
“What happened with Austin? Did you find him?”