Chapter 6
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Jack
Sure, coming home is a big deal. I don’t think it calls for six days of partying, though. The entire Viking Warriors MC charter seems to disagree with me. I’ve told them every day for six days that I don’t need another welcome home party. It’s Friday night, and this one is just as big, if not bigger, than the first night I was home.
The first party was mainly family, friends, local townsfolks, and the brothers within a few hours' riding distance. Tonight, it’s still family, friends, and everyone my family knows within riding distance. Tonight also brings in a hundred or more Viking Warriors from other chapters. At least six more states are represented here tonight. Needless to say, the Viking Den is a madhouse of activity tonight.
The Den has become suffocating. Every two steps I take, someone new welcomes me home. Most of those interactions have turned into thirty-minute conversations. I love seeing everybody and talking with them. I just need a few minutes to myself.
“Ross, you better win this pot.” I nod to the pile of money in the center of the table. That’s a nice size pot.
“Plan on it. You should join the next hand.” Ross has been trying to get me to play poker with him all week.
He stopped me as I was walking by. Naturally, I had to speak with the other five men at his table. Two are local townsfolk. Three are out-of-state brothers. They’re braver than I am. Ross has an unnatural way of winning. He swears it’s lady luck. His wife walks by from time to time. She pats his shoulder, kisses his cheek, and walks away. Several men over the years have accused Ross of cheating. No one has ever proven it, though. The cameras can’t even catch him if he is. Just know. I’ll never play poker with Ross. I like keeping my money.
With a final nod to everyone at the table, I make a beeline for the bar. I need a drink and some fresh air. From the looks of things, my best friend needs saving.
I walk up to the bar and toss an arm over Coty’s shoulders. “Crashing and burning again, I see.”
“Shut up.” Coty shoves my arm away.
The man next to Coty happily gives me his stool and heads out back. He has the right idea. I just need to tease my friend for a little bit first.
“Kayla!” I slap my hand on the bar. She turns at the sound of my voice. “Beer, sweetheart.”
Coty growls and elbows me in the side. If looks could kill, his eyes would cut me in half. I can’t help but laugh. He’s an idiot sometimes.
Kayla twists the top off a bottle and sets it on the bar. She gives me a big smile. “Good to see ya, Jack.”
She turns and walks away without so much as a glance at Coty. Oh, she knows he’s there. He makes his presence known every chance he gets.
“Hey!” Coty calls out. Kayla finally glances at him over her shoulder. Coty lifts his empty beer bottle. “Can I get another?”
Kayla drops her head back and rolls her eyes. Sure, Coty could go outside and grab all the beer he wants from one of the coolers. However, my friend has parked himself right here on this very stool every night since he found out Kayla is now one of our bartenders.
Kayla grabs another beer. She walks right up in front of Coty, locks eyes with him, and sets the bottle on the bar. For a moment, they stare at each other. Coty opens his mouth. Before he can speak, Kayla snaps her head toward me.
“Can I get you anything else, Jack?” Her sweet smile is all for show.
Coty sits with his mouth hanging open. Kayla continues to ignore him and pretends she’s happy waiting on me. These two need to work out whatever their issues are.
“No, ma’am.” I nod and lift my beer. “Thanks. I’m heading outside.”
“Great. Enjoy your night.” Her eyes move to Coty, giving him a little hope. Her smile fades, along with his hope. I swear an icy feeling settles over us. “Take your friend with you.” She spins on her heels and storms into the kitchen.
“Come on, Rodeo.” I grab Coty’s arm and pull him off the bar stool.
Reluctantly, he follows me. At the back door, he twists off the top of his beer and tosses it into the trash can.
“She didn’t open mine,” he grumbles.
I laugh so hard I have tears in my eyes. Coty shoves me ahead of him out the back door. The cool fall air is a welcomed change and just what I needed. The backyard of the Den is just as crowded as the inside. At least out here, I feel like I can breathe.
The firepit sits about halfway across the yard. A nice bonfire is already lit. A few people are even roasting marshmallows. Wooden benches surround the Pit. Those are full. Both sides of the yard are lined with picnic tables. The back side of the yard has a covered stage. Dad makes club announcements there during the summer. On nights like tonight, a live band performs. The group tonight is one I’ve never heard before. They aren’t so bad.
The entire backyard is fenced in. Partygoers have to come through the clubhouse to get out here. Only the officers of the club have a key to the gates. Of course, my mom and grandmother do too. There’s a reason for the fence. My grandmother insisted on it being built. Too many fights broke out by people we didn’t know were here until it was too late. Nana actually started one of those back in her day.
“Uncle Jack!”
I hear her before I see her. I turn to the right just in time to catch my niece, Everly, as she launches herself at me.
“Hey, Twig.” I wrap my arms around her and twirl her around. “Where’s your brother?” I ask as I set her on her feet.
“Over with Uncle Jay.” She points to my right. Ah. It’s where she came flying in from.
Uncle Jay is actually Logan and Everly’s cousin. They’ve called him uncle since they could talk. Jay’s like a brother to me, so no one questioned it.
It’s hard to believe she and her brother are teenagers now. I toss an arm over her shoulders. Her arm goes around my waist. I love this little girl. Everly will be seventeen in a couple of months. Logan turned eighteen back in July. He’s in his senior year of high school and on the football team. He didn’t have a game tonight. Next Friday night, I’ll be in the stands with the rest of our family, cheering him on.
Jay and Logan sit on top of the picnic table with their feet on the bench. I join them. Everly stands next to the table and leans into my side. I happily keep an arm around her. This little lady is technically my house mouse. She’s been cleaning and taking care of my house while I was away. Mom said Everly flat refused to let any of the club girls do it. My house is here on club property and in view of my parents’ house. Mom had no problem letting Everly hang out during the day at my house. She’s stayed with me a few nights this week. We’ve pigged out on pizza and ice cream.
“You okay?” Logan has me worried. He looks a little stressed.
“Yeah, Uncle Jack.” Logan sighs and drops his head. “It’s my last year. I need a scholarship.”
My nephew loves football. He wants to play on a college team and dreams of going pro someday.
“You don’t need a scholarship.” My family has more than enough to pay for his tuition.
“I know.” He slowly nods. “But if I get one, it would help.” He shrugs. “It would also prove the coaches really want me.”
Jay pats Logan’s back. “Don’t worry, kid. It’s going to happen.”
Jay and I lock eyes over Logan’s head. If he were sitting up, we wouldn’t be able to see each other. Logan’s almost as tall as we are. My cousin and I nod. We’ll be with him every step of the way.
Jay looks out into the crowd. He smiles and lifts two fingers. I turn to see who’s approaching. I sit up straight and clasp arms with the big biker from Texas.
“Shep, good to see ya.” Of all the visitors we’ve had this week, Shepherd is my favorite. He used to come hang out all summer with us when we were teens.
“You want a beer, man?” Coty clasps his arm next.
Shepherd rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah. That’d be great.”
“Get it from one of the coolers!” I point to the cooler beside the table across the yard from us.
“Fine.” Coty huffs and tosses his hands up. He was so going back inside.
My friend needs to lighten up. He’s bothered Kayla enough this week. He doesn’t realize pushing her too hard will eventually push her too far away. Thankfully, he listens and grabs Shepherd a beer from the outside cooler. The way Coty stomps across the yard and back is hilarious. It’s all Jay and I can do not to laugh.
Coty hands Shepherd the beer and glances around. “How many more of your brothers rode with you?”
Shepherd takes a long swig and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “None.”
Jay and I narrow our eyes at each other. That’s odd.
“You rode from Texas alone?” Logan asks.
“That’s not safe.” Everly’s eyes widen.
My niece and nephew have grown up listening to my parents and grandparents go over road safety every time we have a run. There’s always someone new who hasn’t a clue of what they’re doing. Sometimes, we get a few riders who think they know everything. It’s okay to ride locally alone, but not for long trips. The Viking Warriors is a relatively calm club. Even we have enemies. Shepherd knows all this. He was practically born on the back of a bike.
“Yes, ma’am. You’re absolutely right.” Shepherd ruffles Everly’s hair. He’s done it since she was little. My niece absolutely hates it. Shepherd is the only one who can get away with it. “But I didn’t ride this time. I drove my truck.”
That’s odd, too. It’s enough to relieve Everly’s worry, though. Shepherd usually only drives his truck during the winter. It’s a day’s ride from here to Texas. Maybe he drove because no one in his chapter could ride with him today. Whatever the reason, I’m glad he came to welcome Coty and me home.
“It’s too bad no one could ride with you. The weather was great today.” Coty finishes his beer and tosses the bottle in the trash can beside the picnic table.
“Um. That’s not what happened.” Shepherd looks between my niece and nephew. His eyes settle on mine. “I delivered an angel.”
The atmosphere around our table suddenly shifts. Everly’s arm around me tightens. I return the gesture. Logan’s back snaps straight. Jay places a hand on his shoulder. Coty sighs and waits for our next move.
“Where is she?” I ask.
“Your dad’s office.” Shepherd tosses his unfinished beer into the trash.
“She okay?” Everly’s voice trembles.
Shepherd lowers his head to meet her eyes. “She will be.”
Everly nods. She and her brother lock eyes. A flood of emotions overtakes them. They silently become each other’s strength. It’s always been this way between them. For a long time, one couldn’t be in a room if the other wasn’t there.
“Logan, why don’t you take your sister to the kitchen to Nanny?” I suggest. My Mom’s better at comforting Everly in moments like this.
Logan pushes off the table and takes his sister by the hand. “Come on, Evie. Let’s go find Nanny.”
Jay’s phone dings. He reads the text and pockets his phone. “We’re being summoned.”
I stand. My eyes follow Logan and Everly walking toward the clubhouse. “Shep?”
“You guys go ahead. I’ll follow them and make sure they get to your mom. I’ll meet you in the office.”
Shepherd doesn’t just follow. He catches up and walks with them.
Shepherd’s watchful eye is greatly appreciated. No one here would ever bother Everly. Logan would rip them apart if they touched her. Plus, she’s wearing a Property of Viking Warriors cut. All our young girls wear them at parties. It lets newcomers and visitors know this is one of our daughters. Touching one of these girls would get a man killed.
Jay and Coty follow me inside. A few brothers in our chapter have a path cleared to the hallway leading to Dad’s office. They stand side by side, creating a wall. They know an angel is here. I nod to each of them as I pass. This is the most important part of our charter. It’s also the part no one knows about but our patched members and their ole ladies. Well, there are a few outsiders who help us. Each of those people has been vetted for loyalty and has sworn their life to the cause and its secrecy.
I pause outside the office door. It takes a moment to mentally and emotionally prepare myself for what we’re about to walk in on. I haven’t done this in a long time. This is the first angel I’ll have seen in two years. Each one is different. Every single one of them is precious and deserves to be treated as such. When I’m prepared, I lightly knock on the door so the sound doesn’t spook our angel.
Worley Bird eases the door open and nods when he sees me. I push the door open and step inside with Jay and Coty right behind me. One look at our angel, even from behind, causes me to stumble back into Jay. His hands quickly reach out to steady me. I was wrong. I wasn’t prepared for her.