1. Ghost
Ghost
“You sure I can’t convince you to stay?”
“Nah, sir.” Louie shook his head. “I gotta get back. I have folks to see about.”
“We can take you to see your folks and bring ya back.”
Big Louie was a local homeless man who spent the better part of his night in the back alley of the Vault—a strip club owned and run by the club. He was there the night of the drive-by shooting that took out Little Nix and had taken a bullet trying to save him. He’d been recovering at the clubhouse, and he was finally back on his feet. We were all hoping he’d consider staying, but he wasn’t having it.
“I appreciate the offer, but I’m a rambling man. I ain’t one to be tied down.”
“I understand.” Prez gave him a pat on the shoulder. “But know you always have a place here if you need it.”
“Yes, sir. You’re a good man.”
“You’re the good one.” Emotion filled his eyes as Prez told him, “You put your life on the line for one of my boys, and that’s not something I will soon forget.”
“Just did what he would’a done for me.”
He was right. Little Nix might’ve just been a prospect, but he was a good kid who would’ve put his neck on the line for anyone he cared about, including Big Louie. Prez gave him a nod, then turned to me and Goose. “You two mind taking him?”
“Yeah, sure thing.” I reached down and picked up the backpack we’d put together for him as I asked, “Where we headed?”
“You can drop me off at the bus station.”
I wasn’t surprised by his response. The bus station was a big hanging spot for a lot of the homeless around town, and I felt certain he had folks there who would be happy to see him. Louie followed us outside and out to the truck, and when he got inside next to me, I couldn’t help but smile.
Louie was a big dude, and while he was a great guy and I’d always thought a lot of him, he didn’t always smell the best. In fact, there were days when he was quite foul, but today, he was not only smelling good and clean, but he looked the part as well.
The brothers had gathered up all his belongings and laundered everything he owned. They also threw in a few extra things to see him through the long, hot summer. We wanted to do more, but Louie wouldn’t allow it. He might’ve been down on his luck, but he was prideful and wasn’t looking for a handout—especially from a man he respected like Prez.
When we got to the station, Louie hopped out and grabbed his bag. He gave us a warm smile as he said, “Appreciate the ride, boys.”
“Anytime.” Before he closed the door, I shouted, “If you need us, you know where to find us.”
“That I do!” He closed the door and waved. “I’ll be seeing ya!”
Moments later, he vanished into the crowd, but I wasn’t worried. I knew it wouldn’t be long before he’d made his rounds and would be back in our alley, watching over us as we worked.
We hadn’t been sitting there long when Goose turned to me and said, “Hard to see him go.”
“Yeah, it is.”
“You think he’ll be okay?”
“No doubt in my mind,” I scoffed. “Hell, it’s Big Louie. Nothing’s gonna get him down.”
“Hope you’re right.”
“Me, too.” I put the truck in drive, and as I pulled out of the parking lot, I asked, “What do you got going on today?”
“Not much. I figured I’d head back to the clubhouse and grab a bite to eat. Maybe change out that carburetor that’s been giving Memphis trouble.”
“You need a hand?”
“If it’s your hand you’re offering, then hell yeah.”
“It’s all yours.”
Once we got back to the clubhouse, Goose and I went straight to the kitchen and started pilfering through the fridge. Goose made a plate of leftover spaghetti while I made one of my famous grilled cheese and pickle sandwiches. I grabbed us both a beer, and we’d just sat down at the table when I heard a woman’s voice snap, “This is ridiculous!”
“Yeah, well. It is what it is,” Prez growled back.
“Don’t give me that ‘ it is what it is’ mess! You know how I hate that!” I knew then it was Kay who was pitching a fit. She was the only one around who had the nerve to speak to our president with such a defiant tone. “I just want to know how long you’re planning on keeping me here.”
“I can’t answer that.”
“What do you mean? This is my life we’re talking about.”
“Yeah, and I’m doing what I can to protect it.” Prez’s tone was unwavering as he told her, “So, you’re staying put.”
“You can’t force me to stay here.”
“I can, and I will.”
Prez entered the kitchen, and Kay quickly followed. She crossed her arms tightly over her chest, and her fiery eyes glared at Preacher. “You can’t be serious!”
“I get that you aren’t happy with this whole situation, and I gotta tell ya, I’m not all that thrilled about it either, but it’s not safe for you to leave.”
“So, what? I’m just supposed to sit around here and wait for you to decide when it’s okay for me to leave?”
“That’s exactly what you’re supposed to do.”
“But I want to go home. I want to get back to my life.”
“And what are you going to do when one of Carmine’s targets comes after you?”
“Who’s to say that they will?” Kay cocked her brow. “They may not even think to look for me.”
“Oh, they will. No doubt about it.” Standing his ground, Prez stepped forward and towered over her as he added, “It’s only a matter of time before these guys figure out what Carmine was up to, and when they do, they will be out for blood. When they can’t find him, they’ll come looking for you, and they will make you pay in ways you can’t begin to imagine.”
I watched as Preacher’s jaw tightened, the tension in the room was palpable. I knew Preacher well enough to see the struggle behind his eyes—the conflict between his protective instincts and the remnants of whatever had once been between him and Kay. But I knew that Preacher wouldn’t bend on this, not when Kay’s life was on the line.
“I hate this.” Tears filled her eyes. “It’s so unfair.”
“Yeah, it is, but we’re working on it. I know how hard it is for you, but you’re going to have to be patient and let us do what we need to do.”
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
“Not even a little.”
“Well, that goes for both of us.”
With that, she spun on her heel and stormed off, leaving Preacher standing there, his expression unreadable. His shoulders slumped slightly, the weight of the situation weighing on him. I took a long pull off my beer and shook my head. I’d seen this kind of thing before—two people too stubborn to admit they cared.
It was a dangerous game—one that could lead to more than just hurt feelings. As the door to Kay’s room slammed shut in the distance, I let out a breath and muttered, “I feel a little tension in the air.”
“You can say that again.” Goose looked over to Prez as he asked, “So, whatcha gonna do?”
“Nothing that she’s gonna like.” Prez walked over and sat down across from us. “She doesn’t get that she can’t go back to her old life. Carmine made sure of that, so we’re gonna have to keep her here or set her up with a whole new life somewhere else. And if we do that, there’s no coming back.”
“Wouldn’t it be easier to just give up Carmine?”
“Yeah, it would, but I gave my word to Antonia, and I’m not going back on it.”
Antonia had recently become Memphis’s ol’ lady, but before that, she was his stepsister. They’d always had a connection, but it took Memphis almost dying for them to admit their true feelings. Antonia was there for him during his recovery and helped him get back on his feet, and Prez felt indebted to her for helping his son walk again.
We all were, so when her father got himself into trouble, Prez assured her that he would help. And he had. He’d managed to get him out of the country and under the radar, but he was still trying to figure out what to do about Kay—Memphis’s mother.
Just in time to interject his opinion on this, Memphis strolled into the room and asked, “Going back on what?”
“We were just discussing your mother.”
“Aw, yeah. I just saw her storming into her room.” Memphis walked over and grabbed a soda from the fridge. “What’s got her panties in a twist?”
“She’s wanting to leave.”
“Well, that’s not happening any time soon.”
“Yeah, that’s what I told her.” Prez shook his head. “But you know your mother. Damn, she’s stubborn.”
“That’s putting it lightly.” Memphis came over and sat down at the end of the table. “You know, if she’s so eager to go, you could let her go stay with Aunt Janice for a while. Just until the dust settles.”
“Hmmm.” Prez grumbled under his breath.
“I know she can be a bit much, but she’s all the way out in California. Mom would be safe with her, especially if we take her credit cards away and give her some cash and a new identity. Hell, for that matter, send a prospect with her.”
“She isn’t going to like having a babysitter.”
“Well, that’s too damn bad. This could be her ticket out, and she can either take it or leave it.”
“You’ve got a point.” He thought for a moment, then said, “I’ll have Zeke drive her out there tonight, and he can stay out there with her for a couple of weeks and see how it goes.”
“Good deal. The break will do you both some good.”
“No doubt.” Preacher leaned back in his chair and announced, “While I’ve got you here, I got a call from Viper this morning.”
“Something up with the run?”
“You could say that.” Prez leaned back in his chair. “When you go, you’re gonna be bringing back more than this month’s take. You’re going to have some company with you.”
“Come again?”
“Viper needs us to look after a girl and her son for a while.”
“Seriously?” Memphis groaned. “Don’t we have enough going on?”
“Viper helped us when we were in a pinch, so we owe it to him. Besides, it sounds like this girl could really use our help.”
“She in trouble or something?”
“She’s got something going with an ex. Some kind of stalker issue, and she and her kid need a place to hide out for a while.”
“This guy hurt her?”
“Yeah, it’s pretty bad. Viper will explain everything tonight when you guys get to the Manor.”
“Got it.”
Prez turned to me and Goose as he said, “We got no idea what this ex might pull, so I’m putting you two in charge of keeping an on eye on them. Make sure they have what they need, and neither of them leaves the premises without one of you with them.”
“Understood.”
After Goose and I finished eating, we headed out to the garage with Memphis. We spent a few hours working on his carburetor, and then we started preparations for our run. We gathered our weapons and extra ammo, then cleared the storage compartment beneath my backseats. It was a modification Memphis and a couple of the brothers had made to the truck a few months back. It enabled us to hide several pounds of product securely, and with the scent-lock storage containers, we wouldn’t have to worry if we got pulled over on the way back.
I gave everything one last scan, then announced, “Looks like we’re all set.”
“Then, let’s get moving.” Memphis started for the passenger door. “I have a beautiful woman waiting at home for me.”
“Yeah, yeah. You can stop with the bragging.”
“Not bragging. Just stating facts.” He waited for me to get in and close the door before he added, “You could call up your stalker friend. I’m sure she’d love to...”
“Not a chance,” I interrupted. “I’d rather die alone.”
“Oh, she wasn’t that bad.”
“I knew her two days, and she got my name tattooed on her wrist.” His smirk widened when I added, “And she sprayed everything I owned with her strong-assed perfume—even my fucking underwear!”
“Sounds like she really liked you.”
“Oh, yeah, she was crazy about me.” I patted my chest as I boasted, “But you can’t really blame her. I mean, look at me. I’m irresistible.”
“You’re even more delusional than she is.”
“Whatever, man. At least I’m not hooking up with my little...”
“Whoa,” Memphis snapped, cutting me off. “Don’t even.”
“Well, don’t start no shit, won’t be no shit.”
“Oh, I’m about to start some shit in about two seconds if you don’t start this fucking truck and get us on the road and find us something to eat. I’m fucking starving.”
“I’m going. I’m going.” I turned the key as I mumbled, “Damn.”
Seconds later, we were pulling through the gate and headed towards Nashville. It wasn’t a hard drive. It was just a long one. It was about five hours, but the traffic was light, and Goose had plenty of stories to help pass the time. But as we drew closer, the stories came to a halt, and our focus was on the road ahead.
Goose’s fingers tapped nervously on his thigh as he kept a close eye on his side mirrors, watching for any signs of trouble. Memphis toyed with the police scanner, and just as we were coming into Nashville, he leaned forward and announced, "Looks like we’ve got a speed trap up ahead."
I nodded and eased off the gas.
I dropped to just above the speed limit and hoped it was enough to keep them from becoming suspicious. The area was a hot spot—not because of the Manor. No one knew it existed, but the interstate through Nashville had become a high-traffic area for criminals of all kinds, and cops patrolled the area like vultures waiting to swoop.
I checked my mirrors and speed once more, then continued towards our exit. We got off, and twenty minutes later, we were pulling up to the gates of the Manor. We sat silent as the security did their check. It took a moment, but once we were cleared, the gates eased open, and we continued up to the main building.
The night air was thick with a low-lying fog that clung to the ground as we parked and exited the SUV. It was dark and eerily quiet. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of our boots hitting the gravel as we approached the entrance. I opened the door and found Viper waiting for us inside. He was a big guy, older and a bit intense, but he had a protective, fatherly way about him that reminded me of Preacher.
His broad shoulders cast long shadows on the wooden floor as he stepped towards us and said, “Hello, boys. Welcome back.”
“Viper.” Memphis gave him a nod and extended his hand. “How’s it going?”
“Busy. Too busy. Need a few more hours in the day.”
“Feel you there.” Memphis shook his head. “Seems like there’s always something.”
“No doubt.” Viper nodded in agreement. “Can I get you boys anything? A drink or a bite to eat?”
“No, sir. We grabbed something on the way. Besides, it’s late. We should be getting back.”
“Understood. We got your order packed and ready.” Viper motioned his head towards the front door. “The truck unlocked?”
“Yeah, I’ll go out and give the guys a hand.”
“They can manage. Besides, I’ve got someone who’s been waiting to meet you.”
“Prez mentioned something about that,” I interjected. “Said they were going to be coming back with us for a while.”
“Yeah, that’s the plan.”
“So, what’s the back story on these two?”
“The mother has been having some issues with an ex.” Viper ran his hand over his goatee and sighed, “They’ve had a couple of run-ins, and when she tried to break things off, he lost it and worked her over again.”
“Damn.”
“It gets worse.” Viper took a step closer, and his tone was filled with annoyance as he explained, “He’s a cop.”
“No fucking way.”
“Afraid so.”
“Now I see why you wanted to get them out of town.”
“Yeah, but don’t get me wrong. If push comes to shove, I’ve got no problem putting this guy six feet under. He certainly has it coming, but I’m hoping he will lose interest and give up this obsession he has with her.”
“Out of sight, out of mind.”
“Exactly.” Viper motioned for us to follow as he turned and started out of the room. “Come on. They’re just down the hall.”
I nodded, then exchanged a quick glance with Memphis and Goose before following Viper down the hallway. I could feel the tension building as we neared the room. When we reached the door, Viper turned to us and said, “We got her a new ID and social. She’s gonna go by the name Whitney, and her son will keep the name Toby. No sense in changing it. We also got her a new phone.”
“Good.”
He hesitated for a moment, then said, “You’re gonna have to be patient with them. They’ve been through a lot, and it’s going to take some time for them to come around.”
He eased the door open and led us inside, and my blood ran cold when I spotted the beautiful woman and her young son. Viper hadn’t exaggerated. They were both in rough shape. The woman’s wrist was wrapped in a makeshift splint, and her eyes were swollen with an angry shade of purple that spread down to her cheeks. There was a cut on her lip that was still fresh with blood, and her arms were covered in various bruises and cuts.
Beside her was a young boy who couldn’t have been more than ten. He had hazel eyes like his mother, but he had light brown hair, where hers was jet-black. His arms were covered in bruises that resembled handprints, and there was also a large, purple bruise across the thick of his cheek—one similar to his mother’s.
Damn.
Just looking at them pissed me the fuck off, and the longer I stood there staring at them, the angrier I got—and not just at the ex who’d put his hands on them. I was pissed at her, too. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t her fault. She didn’t deserve this. I knew that, but there was a piece of me that couldn’t help but blame her for putting herself and her son in such a fucked-up situation.
It was wrong to think that way. This girl had been through hell, and no one deserves that shit, but the feeling was still there, gnawing at me. I inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly, but it did little to help steady the storm of emotions raging inside of me. I watched in silence as Viper walked over to the young woman and said, “I have some friends I’d like you to meet.”
She nodded nervously as she listened to him say, “This is Memphis, Goose, and Ghost. They’re members of Satan’s Fury, the MC out of Little Rock. They’re going to take you two back with them and watch over you.”
She glanced up at me, meeting my accusatory glare, and immediately looked back to Viper and asked, “Are you sure we can’t just stay here?”
“You know that’ll never work, not for the long haul. Leaving is the best option.”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
“I know it’s hard, but you’re in good hands with these guys. They’ll keep you safe.”
“He’s right. You can trust us.” Memphis took a step forward and gave her a reassuring smile. “We’ll do everything we can to keep you and your son safe.”
Whitney lifted her head slightly, and she looked over at him with a mix of wariness and hope. She studied him for a moment, then forced a smile and said, “Thank you. I really appreciate your help.”
“Glad to do it.” Memphis turned to me and Goose as he said, “It’s late. Let’s get these two loaded up and back to the clubhouse.”
I didn’t speak.
I simply nodded and followed them all out to the truck. We said our goodbyes, and with our guests in tow, we quickly loaded up and headed towards home. Whitney and Toby huddled up in the backseat, and it wasn’t long before they’d both drifted off to sleep.
I glanced back in the rearview mirror, and as I looked at Toby curled up next to his mother, I found myself thinking about the past—something I tried to never do. One memory rolled into the next, and it wasn’t long before I was thinking about the day that nearly destroyed me.