Chapter 13
Jackal
After spending a couple hours searching all the vehicles, I needed a shower. It was over ninety degrees and humid as fuck. Not to mention that in the rush to find something, we didn’t bother with lifts and creepers, so I needed to change, too.
Once I had washed up and thrown on new clothes, I made my way back downstairs. It was getting close to dinner time, and I hadn’t finished my meal at the mall. Since all the women on my watch were under our roof, I decided a beer was in order after the day I had.
Keys was going to try to see where the trackers came from and he thought he may be able to reverse track a signal. We found ten. Each officer’s bike had one except me, plus Cindy’s SUV, Penny’s car, Lacy’s car, Eagle’s truck, and Falcon’s truck.
So much started to make sense. Daisy was attacked when they were out of town and Falcon hadn’t noticed anyone tailing him. Lacy and Shivana were plucked off the side of the road on the way back from downtown. And today we weren’t tailed, but they made it a point to fuck with us. They probably got there hoping to ambush Cindy but saw the Harley next to her car so, instead, they flattened my tires.
If they were hoping to catch her alone, what would they have done? Shaking my head as I walked into the bar, a shiver went down my spine. Cindy was like a mother to Butch. How the fuck could he try to harm her? Why would he want to?
“Exciting afternoon,” Shivana said as I passed her.
“Long, for sure. Did you get everything you needed?” I asked, trying not to stare down at her cleavage.
She leaned on the table, only making it harder not to look. She must have noticed me glance down, because a smirk spread over her face. “You know, you could get a closer look anytime.”
Her friends weren’t sitting with her, so I sat down across from her. “Lil Bird, are you really planning to stay?”
She rolled her eyes and leaned back, taking the excellent view away. “Yes. Why?”
“This place ain’t for you. Why are you being so stubborn?”
“Hello, pot, meet kettle,” she said as she crossed her arms.
“I’m not being stubborn. I’m doing the right thing.”
She leaned forward again, dragging her finger over my hand lightly. “Last time I checked, you’re not the boss of me. What does me staying have to do with you? Do I repulse you or something?” she asked with a grin.
“You know that’s not it.” She was an astute woman and the question annoyed me as her light touch sent sparks of electricity up my arm.
Her grin turned into a smile. “Okay, then what?”
“You don’t belong here, Lil Bird. The sooner you realize that the better.” Before she could say something smart, I stood up and headed to Hawk’s table.
He was sitting at his normal spot, but instead of a beer, he was sipping some kind of brown liquor, neat.
“Hey, Prez. What you having?”
“Crown. You want some?”
“Here, old man,” Eagle said as he handed me a beer and sat down. Chatter erupted and I looked back to see Lacy pulling up a chair at Shivana’s table. They were so loud they could be heard over Motley Crüe.
“Guess I’m having beer.” I took the cold bottle and held it up. “Thanks, man. So, what’s the plan when you guys make the run?” I had babysitting duty, but shit just got real.
Falcon came and sat, and more giggling was happening at the table on the other side of the room that seemed to have become the ladies’ spot. “Daisy isn’t happy, but she’s staying put. Although, I’d keep a close eye on her because that was almost too easy,” he said as he took a drink of his beer.
Hawk blew out a heavy sigh. “Red went to the bar and Rooster’s covering at the club. But Penny, Ma, and those troublemakers over there can’t leave the property. At least not until we get back. For nothing.”
“Penny agreed?” Falcon asked.
“She’s home. But we need to keep an eye on her. I have her car keys, but I wouldn’t put it past her to call an Uber and try to escape,” Hawk said as he shook his head before drinking down the rest of his Crown.
“Is she still in school?” I asked. It was summertime, but she was gone a lot.
Hawk rubbed a hand down his face. “She’s always in school. But that’s alright. Hopefully she can get far away from here someday.”
My brow furrowed. “You don’t want her here with you and Cindy?”
“She’s not meant for this life. Pops would roll over in his grave if she ended up with one of you fuckers,” he said.
“I know what you mean,” I said as I took a long draw from my beer. Some folks aren’t cut out for this life, and some just don’t need to be part of it. Honestly, no woman deserves to be wrapped up in it, but sometimes you can’t choose who you love and who loves you. And some women choose this life knowing the risks. But some only think they know what they want, then end up crushed and lost.
Eagle leaned in close. “You still pretending you don’t want her, old man?”
My eyes cut in his direction. “You need to mind your business, little one.”
“Yeah, that’s not my thing and you’re stuck with me now. As your VP, I’m telling you to stop being a martyr and go after what you want.”
“You like Shiv?” Falcon asked. “Get after it man.”
“Geezus. I don’t need your input.”
Hawk ran his thumb over the rim of his tumbler. “She could be good for you, man.”
“What the fuck? You, too? I thought you’d be on my side.”
“I am. She’s not going anywhere, so you may as well accept it. Do you think she’d be better off alone here? She’s looking for a place to rent and a job. If this new club has been watching us, they probably already know who she is.”
She could be in danger. Barring strapping her to my Harley and driving her to Illinois, I couldn’t make her leave. Still, I could protect her without ruining her. “I’ll take that into consideration, Prez.”
Cindy walked over and filled Hawks glass. “What are you boys plotting?”
“Mama Hen, what do you think about Shiv?” Eagle asked as he leaned his elbows on the table.
“I love her. Why?” she asked. When none of us answered, she rolled her eyes. “Y’all need anything else? Dinner should be ready in a bit.”
“A few more beers,” Falcon said.
She nodded and walked away, leaning over the bar to tell the bunny what we needed.
After a few more beers and small talk, Cindy announced dinner was ready on the grills, so we headed outside to eat.
A couple of members manned the grills. With so many brothers living on site and even more dropping in on the weekend, grilling was easier to feed everyone. Looked like chicken and ribs.
The sun was out, but starting to go down. It wasn’t a party but there was still a good amount of bodies wandering around, though it was only DE and some bunnies.
I grabbed a plate and piled on some meat, potato salad, cole slaw, and bread, then plopped down at a picnic table. Hawk, Rooster, and Squatch sat with me and we talked about the mechanic shop for a while.
“Jackal won’t be back there for a bit. He’s got something important to do for me for now,” Hawk said before taking a generous bite of potato salad.
“No problem, Prez. But he sure is handy to have around,” Squatch said as he gnawed at a rib bone. He’d been part of the club for a while and was good people, but he was a big, hairy dude. “So anything we need to know about the little project from earlier?” he asked, licking his fingers.
Hawk was finished with his food and lit a cigarette. After blowing a plume of smoke away from the table he said, “Keys is doing some checks. Just keep your eyes peeled for any unfamiliar cuts.”
Squatch’s lips thinned within his thick beard. “New club in town? Since when?”
“That’s what we’re trying to figure out. This week, nobody but DE in or out of here. Not even pizza delivery,” Hawk said as he took another drag.
“You got it.”
They were still chatting but my focus turned to a table across the courtyard. Shivana was smiling and laughing, her hand lightly pressing against the chest of a member who was barely patched in.
“Jackal?”
“Huh?”
Hawk chuckled. “Nevermind. I see you’re preoccupied.” He stood and took one last drag off his cigarette then flicked it. “They look chummy,” he said as he looked in their direction. “I’m going to shoot some darts. If you get bored watching the show, come on in and we’ll have a game.”
“Show?”
Hawk leaned down, smacked his hand on my shoulder, and said, “The show she’s putting on for you.”
I looked at him and then looked over at her. “I’ll see you later, Prez.”
He patted my shoulder then walked off. I stayed with Squatch and Rooster as they finished, but I stared at her the whole time.
“You alright, man?” Squatch asked as he sucked grease off his fingers.
“Yeah, why?”
“You’re grinding your teeth so hard I can hear it,” he said with a laugh.
My jaw relaxed. I hadn’t even realized I was doing that. But my gaze went right back to her. They were no longer sitting. Instead, they had gotten up and were headed inside the clubhouse…and he had his hand on the small of her back.
Before I knew it, I was flying from my seat and storming toward them.