Nerves
Wrenly
I didn’t tell my dad about Travis. I only told him I was scouted for a job in the private sector. He was indifferent, as a dad that never really cared for my career choices. He wanted me to find work closer to home. What he didn’t understand was that home hadn’t felt like home for a long time. Not since Travis left, and especially now that Matt was living in town.
Dad dropped me off at the airport with the promise I’d be back in three days. Stone was flying into Louisville from Louisiana and would arrive a few hours ahead of me. It didn’t go unnoticed that my ticket was first class, especially once I got checked in and especially when I boarded. It was a nice flight, but I was so nervous it was crazy. By the end of the day, I very well could have been looking at Travis. I didn’t know what to think about the invitation. Was I only invited because of Travis? Did he recommend me? Was it because he missed me as much as I missed him? Maybe he dealt solely with the bike business and had no idea I was coming. I had so many questions and hoped they’d be answered soon.
As soon as we landed I sent a text to Stone, and he quickly returned one that told me to meet him at the airport bar just outside the terminal. I grabbed my carry on, which was all I had since it was just a short trip, then made my way off the plane. The bar was easy to find, and I spotted him right away. I quickly noticed he was with two men, both casually dressed and unbelievably gorgeous. Actually, I was a bit taken back by the sight of both of them.
“It’s good to see you again, Wrenly.” Stone shook my hand. “These two men are from Creed’s Lake.”
Stone was smiling so I hoped that was a good indicator.
The super tall man with light brown hair and shocking grey eyes stuck his hand out first. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Josh Magnus, Senior Officer of Operations at Creed's Lake. Sorry Creed couldn’t make it, he’s staying close to home these days. He sends his apologies and will meet us back at the Lake.”
“That’s quite alright, and it’s good to meet you.” I shook his hand in return.
I looked at the man with dark hair and a beard. Handsome as well with very pretty amber eyes. “My name is Mike Axton, the Executive Officer of Creed’s Lake Inc. It’s great to finally meet you. I guess we can be on our way now. Do you have luggage to claim?”
I shook his hand in return. “It’s great to meet you as well, and no, no luggage, just my carry on.”
He was putting cash on the table to leave as a tip and Stone put his hand on the small of my back to guide me to follow the men.
“How was your flight?” Mike Axton asked.
“It was great, thank you.”
“That’s good to hear. We have about an hour drive to Creed’s Lake, and I’ll explain more about the community on our way.”
Not another word was spoken all the way out of the airport and to a large black SUV, very similar to what we used with the FBI. They threw our bags in the back then Stone and I sat in the back seat. I was nervous and it must have shown because Stone gave me a questioning look, but I shook my head and mouthed that I was fine. Mike Axton drove and once we made it out of the airport and onto the interstate he began speaking.
“I’m sure you have plenty of questions, but as soon as we meet with Creed, you’ll be asked to sign a non-disclosure. So for now, I’ll just give you the quick rundown of who we are and how we started. Seven years ago, our founder, Alistair Creed purchased several thousands of acres. We were all Delta Force teammates at the time, and he presented an idea to us. He wanted to build a community primarily in the hopes of helping veterans. They would be offered homes and jobs in the private sector. Creed was out first and started building right away, as the rest of us fulfilled our obligations to the Army. There were originally seven of us, but we now have eight of who we call Originals. You won’t meet Baros anytime soon. He’s helping out one of our undercover operatives. Creed’s Lake is a heavily gated community built around a lake. We have the bike business, and that was our first private business that was open to the public. We design and build custom bikes. Inside the gates and to the outside world, we are an MC. Which is true, we ride, and we do a lot of community service around the county. On the inside of the gates, we have several employees. Some are private investigators, and some are on private security detail. We actually have quite a few sectors within Creed’s Lake. It is a true community offering just about anything you would have in a small town. We have a medical center, a commissary, a community center, training center, an apartment building, and of course private homes. The community center offers about every amenity. There’s a bar to have a few drinks, a bowling alley, theater, two swimming pools, a hairdresser, a mess hall, and I could probably go on for a while.”
“So, you don’t leave the community often?” I asked.
“We do, but just pretty much to ride. The community offers everything we need, so leaving is based on your individual needs. We do have a private school being built as we speak, but a lot of the kids that live on the lake attend public school. So, there’s some reasons people leave, but they primarily enjoy the community. We’ve even got a nice beach, a small airport, and first responders in case of emergencies. Most people choose to just enjoy the community though. There is always construction of some sort happening. It’s still a new community, although we built it quickly, Creed is always expanding and purchasing more land. He even bought a horse farm for his wife and daughter, so soon horseback riding will be offered. This means we are constantly hiring new people.”
I wondered if the offer they had for me included all those things.
“Why go to so much expense to build such a place? Why not just live in a community that’s already built?” Stone asked.
“Some of those answers will come later, but I can say one of our newest projects needs security. We run a not for profit program for victims of domestic violence. We will be notified if we are needed to help someone, and we’ll bring them and possibly their children back to Creed’s Lake for protection. We then offer legal services and vocational training. People who would usually live in fear can freely roam the community while receiving whatever therapy they need and they’re able to train for good jobs outside of the community when it’s safe for them to leave and live outside the gates. We do give them jobs while they are recovering and training, so that helps build some self-esteem. They pay for their food, lodging, and some of their education. We cover part of their education through some grants and we are starting some fundraisers to help pay their expenses, like obtaining a vehicle and getting insurance for an example. One reason we are building the law practice is for them as well.”
“That’s amazing.” I was already impressed.
He went on to explain how they were trying to expand their businesses outside the lake. They already started recruiting attorneys to build a law practice and investing in local farms. They hoped to help more people start small businesses as well.
He showed us the bike shop first then drove down a paved road that led to a large gate and guard shack. They searched us and had us sign in before we could cross the gates. I saw what was on top of those walls, and it was probably more secure than Fort Knox. I thought Stone was just as amazed as me as we drove through the community and saw the things we were told about on the way. The community center was humongous, and I was absolutely amazed when we walked inside.
We were led to a small conference room next to what I believed to be a banquet hall. As soon as I stepped inside I stopped in my tracks when I saw the most shockingly green eyes I had ever seen. I knew exactly who it was that was waiting for us in that room.
“Welcome to Creed’s Lake. I’m Alistair Creed, and I’m very pleased to meet you both.” He shook our hands, but I didn’t miss the way he smiled at me. Almost like he knew some sort of secret. It was more like a smirk than a smile.
“Please, have a seat.” He offered.
We both took a seat across from him and the other two men. “Welcome to Creed’s Lake. What do you think so far?” He asked.
We both answered that it was beautiful. I could barely focus because I was a stupid horny idiot salivating over a married man and two other men that could have been married for all I knew. I wasn’t sure what was in the water at Creed’s Lake, but I’d almost take the job simply for the eye candy.
He talked about all the same things we already knew then made us sign non-disclosures. That was when the truth was revealed. The entire time Travis was on my mind.
“There are eight Originals.” Creed explained. “Myself as the President. I’m the largest investor and in charge of everything overall. Axton is our Executive Vice President, and also the VP of our MC. Josh Magnus is our Senior VP and Ryan Granger is our VP of finance, while Scott Drakos is our VP of our supply chain, and Valerie Bolton shares the responsibility of being our Medical Administrator with our resident physician. Bolton is also our on-site psychologist. Last but not least is our President and Chief Operations Officer over Creed Motorsports, and that is Travis Irons. Unfortunately, he is out of the country at the moment securing our first international contract for Creed’s Lake Motorsports. There’s also Baros, but he’s on a mission at the moment.” It seemed like he was purposely not looking at me for that tidbit of information. I knew immediately how I felt, and it was nothing but disappointment. I was nervous, but suddenly I felt sad. Did he leave because he knew I was coming for a tour?
Creed continued. “In fact, this is usually a team effort when we recruit, but Irons has been out of the loop with his work outside of Creed’s Lake.”
Well, there you go, he had no idea I was being recruited.
He went on to explain the covert operations and how that was the true reason for creating Creed’s Lake. They were interested in us because of our experience with the Cartel. We learned more about the slave farms and rescue missions. To be honest, they sounded easy compared to my past missions. He then stated we would have our choice of the division we would like to work, but wanted to consult us on anything Cartel involved. So, the operatives on my last mission were right when they said it was a private special ops group.
“We will be joined by two more of the Originals in just a moment. But I want to make myself clear when I say not all members of our community are a part of the MC, so you are not required to be a part of it. Also, we have three different hiring practices. First, we are recruiting both of you as senior members. Your rank will be that of an officer, and you’ll rank just below us. You will not prospect and will be assigned to rent single one bedroom homes on the lake. You won’t have to worry about roommates. The next tier are veterans who were not scouted by us but recommended by the military and the Department Of Veteran Affairs. They do prospect and earn rank. If they have special ops training they may qualify to be operatives on our contract missions. If they don’t make rank and have no special ops training they can be used in other ways. That might be private security, or work undercover in other MC’s. Then we have our private employees. The ones that are not veterans. From this point forward they will be the ones that call upon us for help out of abusive living situations. We can go more in depth over that later.”
Eventually, a beautiful woman named Valerie Bolton joined us, along with Scott Drakos and the county Sheriff, which I thought was odd until I heard his last name. He was obviously an in law to Creed through Morgan Rossi…well Morgan Creed as she was recently married to him.
After we met everyone, Creed had me join him for a full tour of Creed’s Lake. Magnus took Stone for a tour, so we were separated. He showed me the entire community center, the training center, and took me inside the commissary. He then showed me the beach and the lake was absolutely gorgeous. He then took me to a small log home that had its own dock. “If you accept our contract, this is the house you will rent. It’s small, but it really is perfect for a single person. I won’t lie and say you’d spend a lot of time here. We are always busy around here and some of that will be to free the Originals so we can focus more on the private special ops contracts. We are all carrying a large load and expanding faster than we can recruit.” He grabbed his laptop and my carryon bag, then took me inside the little house. I loved it from the moment I saw it. It was perfect with an attached garage, nice sized kitchen, living room, and two bathrooms. There was even a screened in back porch with a small fireplace and a great view of the lake. “You’ll be spending the next two nights here, just to give you the feel of what it’s like to live on Creed’s Lake.” He showed me the side by side in the garage. “This would be yours for as long as you live here. It’s included in the rent. As you already saw, you can fill it up at the commissary. There’s also room for your private vehicle and a bike. Do you ride?” He asked.
“No, but my dad was part of an MC of sorts. They were a bunch of cops that lived back home, and they even had a clubhouse. I rode on the back, but I never actually had my own.”
He chuckled. “I may know a guy that can set you up with your own custom bike and some riding lessons.” He guided me toward the kitchen table.
“Who might that be?” I asked.
“Irons, he runs things for me on the motorcycle side.” He gave a smirk, and I knew right then that he was more than aware.
“He told you.” It was more of a statement than a question.
“Not until after I scouted you. He wants to stay out of it. If you accept this job it’s to be a choice you made for a career, not because of him.” He guided me into a seat then pushed it in for me before he took a seat across from me.
“So, he doesn’t care what I choose?” I was a bit nervous for that answer.
“I’m going to be honest with you. This recruitment has nothing to do with Irons. We are making this offer based on your merits as a soldier and an agent. The reason Irons opted out of your hiring process was so that there is no question that you were in fact hired because of your hard work and it was not as a favor to him. Despite your childhood with him, because that does not matter to me in the least, I want you for one of our Executive positions. You can command missions, you have experience with the cartels, and you’re a damn good operative. Not to mention your undercover skills and your work to bring down the Scorpions. I’d like to remind you that I was already scouting you before I knew about the childhood you shared with Irons.”
Talk about an ego boost. “I feel like I need to know his opinion on the matter. He left for a reason, and I don’t want to come barging in on his life and turn it upside down. He’s had years to come home, and the fact that he opted out of this tells me he’s a bit indifferent about me accepting this offer.”
He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. “Irons has not said that, and just so you know, he’s known around here as the nice guy. He’s kind and generous, intelligent, and helpful. He has the mildest temper, and he hasn’t said either way if he wants you here. He wants you to decide based on your own wants and needs as far as your career. That’s why he has stayed out of it. He had a shit childhood, but I’m more than aware that you’re the source for his good childhood memories. So, let’s forget about Irons and get down to the offer I have for you today.”
I nodded. “Okay.”
He handed me the offer and I about fell out of my chair. It wasn’t just a very nice six figure salary, it was benefits galore. He offered a wonderful health and wellness plan, the rent was dirt cheap, and the list of amenities Creed’s Lake offered was outstanding. On top of a salary, we got bonuses and a very nice retirement plan. It was better than anything the government offered. I didn’t know what to say. It was like my eyes focused in and out on the number written as my salary. He gave me another piece of paper that broke down what they took from each check, and it was more than reasonable. I had to pay the utilities, rent, my own cable, and I had to furnish the house. He said he had some furniture brought in from an empty apartment for my stay, but I would need to order furniture.
“At one time we didn’t allow family visits except in extreme circumstances, but since we’ve gone somewhat public, you can apply for a visit. We would do a background check before approving it. We do have some undercover operatives, so we would have to approve applications based on that as well. I’m sure you understand between our contract work, the undercover operatives, and the domestic violence program, we have to be diligent and very careful who we allow on the inside of these gates. The goal is for people to freely enjoy the community without any issues. You also must sign an agreement that states you cannot record or photograph anyone without their permission.”
That all sounded very easy. “How long do I have to decide?”
He sat forward. “I can give you a few days. Otherwise, I have to move on to another candidate. The new hire orientation and training starts two weeks from today.”
My eyes went from him, to the salary on the paper, then back up to him. “It’s a big decision.” I had to think about Travis as well. I wished Creed gave me a better idea of what he was thinking about this offer. Then again, it was several times the salary I got from the FBI, not to mention the benefits.
“Is the salary not what you were expecting?” He asked.
My eyes grew. “No, it’s more than fine.”
“We can negotiate if that helps make your decision. I’m going to be straight with you. I need more women here, and that’s not a political statement or any kind of affirmative action. It’s because you were a damn good soldier that made rank rather quickly, so you’re obviously smarter than other operatives. You performed well with your special ops teams, and we do work with some pretty sensitive situations. We mostly help women, and as men we can often be intimidating. As you know there aren’t many women operatives so that makes you a very valuable candidate.”
I looked back down at the offer. “I wish I knew how Travis felt. I’m going to be honest, there isn’t a number that’s more valuable to me than his happiness. I don’t want to intrude on his life.” I looked back up at him.
Creed smiled like he knew something I didn’t know. “He had the opportunity to voice his opinion. If he didn’t want you here, he would have spoken up.”
“Could he call me to discuss it?”
He shook his head. “No, he wants to be completely left out of it. He does not want to influence your decision, just like he didn’t ours when you came up as a possible recruit.”
“Okay, I guess I will think about it.” I guess since Travis didn’t say no to hiring me that was some sort of good sign.