A Venture
Travis
The steaming hot shower felt as if it were burning the sickness off my skin. I scrubbed and scrubbed but couldn’t get the oil off me. I knew it was likely psychological, but I couldn’t help myself.
We were back at the mansion hotel after finishing with Clint and making a quick visit to Brock at work. Though he didn’t smell of his mother, the thought of it turned my stomach all over again. Despite my discomfort, Brock’s reaction to the news we delivered was priceless. Not only that, but his reaction to Magnus seeing his work for the first time was also priceless. It was fucking weird because the moment Magnus saw my kid brother, it was like bros at first sight or kindred spirits or some shit.
It was before I gave Brock the news, it sparked the minute Magnus saw Brock working under a masterpiece of an Oldsmobile. Magnus fired off questions as Brock’s eyes lit up with pride and excitement. Magnus was genuinely awestruck with my kid brothers work. Wrenly yawned a few times as Magnus and I looked under the hood of an old GTO, Magnus’s dream car. Magnus didn’t just want that car, he had a lust for it.
Wrenly finally had enough of it and demanded we talk shop later and get to the point of the visit. After having a seat in the break room, I finally got down to business. I did have some worries that Brock would be pissed at me for going to his mother behind his back, but he was calm and cool about it. I was sure he was ashamed of the state of his mother and the second floor of his house, but that seemed to fade as I told him the agreement I made with Emma.
“She wants both of us as power of Attorney. You will be appointed to oversee her Healthcare and I’ll be appointed to oversee her finances. She wants an attorney to become a third party decider if we come to any disagreements. She gave me her measurements and asked that Wrenly does some shopping for an entirely new wardrobe. She has agreed to see a wound specialist to help her heal all the abscesses, so that’s good news. She wanted to take her things from the bedroom with her…” Brock stopped me right there.
“No, absolutely not. Her room smells like vomit, shit, and rotting flesh. Everything in that room needs incinerated.”
I nodded in agreement. “I agreed to furnish her apartment and have a cleaning crew come in and try to salvage some of her belongings, like photo albums and mementoes of your childhood. She also wants to cut all ties to her family, and it has to be a fresh start. I threw in mental health professionals, and she agreed as long as it’s the therapist of her choice. I also agreed not to bring in hospice until she’s bedridden. If she needs care she will let us know. I did get her to agree to at least three showers a week, otherwise you’ll bring in a nurses aid from the nursing home to do it. She refuses to travel by air, and I’ll help you purchase a newer vehicle. That means I will co-sign for a vehicle loan the two of you will drive to Indiana.”
He shook his head. “Her wounds have to be healed, and she has to keep up with her personal hygiene. I can’t survive being in the car with her for that long while she smells so bad. I already deal with her doctor’s visits. She does shower beforehand but that shit sticks to her.”
I went on to explain that I’d cover costs, handle the attorney, and work with Medicaid, but he also had to chip in and cover some expenses. He would pay on the loan for the car and also pay back the down payment. He would pay me monthly to start out and I’d write the checks. He could work at the bike shop while we made decisions about starting the restoration business. Creed and I were determined to bring small businesses to Cold Springs, and with Brock’s talent he could be quite the investment. He was more than thankful for the apartment above the tavern until I found him a rental house with a garage. While I was speaking with Brock, Wrenly called an attorney Clint recommended and made an appointment. We then set a goal date of six weeks for them to move, giving her abscesses time to heal.
That smell was not the disease, it was proof that mental health can be just as deadly as a virus. It can spread like a virus as well. The human mind can only take so much, and toxic people only help spread it. Bobby’s kidnappers were beyond toxic, they planted a tiny virus when they took him. That spread into my parents, myself, Emma and eventually Brock. I understood what Clint said to Magnus, and yes, what they’re continuing to do has saved lives and the mental health of innocent people. But there will come a time where they’ll be caught if they don’t have the proper protections in place.
I scrubbed in the shower for probably a half hour. I told Magnus I would meet him downstairs in the small bar area while Wrenly had her shower and got ready to go out. Any other time I would have pulled her in with me, but I needed to get clean before I touched her.
My girl was being amazing with all the bullshit we dealt with for two days. I really wasn’t feeling up to going out, but seeing her excitement about visiting with her friends made every moment I’d spend in the bar with them worth it.
I dressed in a blue button up and pair of jeans before heading out the door. I found Magnus sitting by the fireplace in the small bar area drinking an amber liquid on the rocks. It was a small room, in fact he was the only one enjoying it. A server came and took my drink order then left. “You look chipper.” I noticed throughout the day he seemed to be lost in deep thought.
“I’m fine, so is this thing with Carlson the end game for you?” He asked.
“Yep.”
He shook his head. “I don’t get it. It seems like you’d be depressed or pissed off knowing you’ll never touch a different set of tits and fuck the same woman until you die.”
“Have you not met her?” I got what he was saying, but damn, my girl had everything I’d ever desire for the rest of my life. The intelligence, the personality, the independence, and holy shit the body.
He lifted his glass and gave me a one nod. “Touché.” He lifted the glass to his lips then took a sip and a slow swallow. “How do you know when she’s the one?”
The server came out with my drink and handed it to me then left the room. “I guess I’ve always known.”
“I mean, what does it feel like to know?”
“Like all the good things about life are yet to come. When you’re pissed off or had a bad day, all of it just rolls off your shoulders just with one magical touch from her. The sex is…fuck it’s not sex anymore. It’s like a full body experience and it’s always around. I’m hard literally ninety percent of the time because it’s like her presence always stays with me. Pleasing her feels better than anything I’ve ever felt. Not just sexually, but her smile when she looks at me makes this world feel like a better place. Just the thought of anything hurting her guts me.”
I glanced at him, and he was staring off into the fireplace as he took another sip. “What’s up with you? Not just your questions, but it’s like you’re off in space every now and again.”
“Nothing.” He lied.
“Oh, it’s definitely something.”
He shrugged. “There were eight of us. Then Creed fell for Morgan and his focus shifted to her and Addie. Then Bolton and Darren happened, and we both know they’ll get married. Drakos, the most fucked up one of us all is getting married and having a kid, Granger was pussy whipped when he came to our team, and now you. Hell, at this point I won’t put it past Baros to come back with a woman and maybe a kid. You’re going to marry her, aren’t you?”
“Hell, yeah I am.” I was quick with that answer. “But that leaves you and Axton.”
“All you fuckers keep falling like flies. In case you didn’t know, Axton isn’t that great of a wing man.”
I chuckled. “It’ll happen to him someday, mark my words.”
“What’s up with the cold shoulder he has toward Carlson?”
I shrugged. “I’d like to say I have a fucking clue. She’s never done a damn thing to him. I don’t know if he was sweet on her or what, but I get a feeling he’s pissed at me and taking it out on her. If I remember correctly, wasn’t he shitty with Steph for the first few years as well? He’s still the VP, so I have no clue what’s up his ass. He’s not making less money, in fact we’re all making more money despite hiring more executives. If we keep going like we are, soon we’ll all get to take off on rides together again. Damn it’s been awhile.”
Magnus scratched his jaw like he had put deep thought into it. “I don’t think he was sweet on her, of course he thought she was hot as hell, but it’s something else and I don’t think it has to do with you. He’s going through some kind of personal shit or something.”
Speaking of Axton, how is Kayla doing? Settled in yet?”
He readjusted the way he was sitting and cleared his throat. “She’s doing good.”
What the hell was that? He was obviously uncomfortable with the simplest question.
“Do you think it has to do with her and his mom? He doesn’t talk much about them, but he was pretty damn pissed off when he learned she had their mom living with her.” I said.
“No, he’s over that shit. It’s something else. That fucker is so damn tight lipped we’ll probably never know. Dammit, it’s all that broodiness ever since shit has gone down with you and Carlson, but it doesn’t add up.”
“Maybe it’s having Kayla around. He still sees her as his little baby sister, and she’s all grown up.” I waved it off, but saw Magnus wince.
“What the fuck was that shit?” I pointed at him with the hand that held my bourbon.
“What shit?”
“Whenever I mention Axton’s sister you get uncomfortable. Please tell me you don’t have a thing for her? Axton will lose his shit.” Axton was insanely protective of Kayla.
“No, it’s nothing and don’t worry about it.” He blew me off just as I looked up and almost dropped my glass.
Long blond hair, big doe eyes, bee stung lips turned up into a smile, one hell of a kick ass body in a cropped cream wrapped sweater that hugged her breasts perfectly, a worn pair of jeans, and cowgirl boots. She smiled at me as she took steps closer, and I gulped. I was instantly hard and all I could imagine was wrapping my fingers into that long soft hair while our heated bodies dripped sweat as I made love to her.
“Holy mother of hotness.” Magnus whispered to himself.
The love of my life was not like other operatives. There wasn’t an ounce of tomboy in her and she was gorgeously feminine.
“You boys ready to meet the girls?” She had the brightest smile on her face despite everything she had to process about her dad.
I wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her into me. Her body met mine with a thud. “You’re so damn pretty you’re going to have other men standing on their heads to get your attention.” There was a sudden desire to put a ring on her finger and lock her down.
“Oh yeah? Well, I tend to think the two of you are going to have the ladies swarming.”
I was dying to grind myself against her warm heat, but that would have to wait for later. I threw a twenty on the table and guided Wrenly out to the Tahoe.
When we arrived at the bar, I saw a few familiar but much older familiar faces. The girl squealed as they jumped up and pulled Wrenly into hugs. Then they turned on me and I fought the urge to run.
“You’re all grown up!”
“As handsome as always.”
“Welcome home.”
Their excitement wasn’t just over the top, but over whelming.
“Girls, you obviously remember Travis, but this is Josh Magnus. Josh, these are Jill, Tia, Amberley, Brianna and Sloan.” She pointed at the pool table. “Jill, Amberley, and Sloan’s husbands are over there.”
“Irons!” A deep voice called my name from that direction, and I saw a few old buddies, Steve and Derrick. “Holy shit, he returns!” Derrick set his pool stick down and a few guys walked our way. Two bro hugs later, and I was being introduced to Greg and Hank, the other girls husbands who didn’t look familiar. I introduced Magnus and we all took a seat at a long table just feet from the dance floor. Steve ordered us a few pitchers of beer and we all enjoyed a few laughs.