9. Chapter Nine
Chapter Nine
Kaison
I show up at the clubhouse the next morning with a smile on my face that has my brother scowling.
“I am not eating a single meal at that diner for the rest of this week,” he says when I walk toward him. “Actually, make it a month.”
I roll my eyes, slapping him on the back.
“Didn’t plan on asking you to.”
“What diner?” Rhino asks, dropping into a seat at the table with a plate stacked tall with pancakes.
“Daisy’s,” I tell him.
“Haven’t been there in like a year. Food was subpar,” he says.
“Don’t go for the food,” I answer.
“Oh, no?” He waggles his brows at me.
I go to the table lined with pans and push open the aluminum foil, take a plate, and grab some pancakes .
“More interested in the staff,” I say as I sit beside Rhino. “One in particular.”
“That so?” he asks. “Shark finally find himself some bait?” He chuckles, and so do I. His jokes are dumb as hell, but they can be funny.
“It’s not like that.”
“Sure it’s not. Don’t remember the last time I saw you fucking around with anyone. Specially the ones around here,” he adds.
“Shit’s old,” I answer, cutting off a big bite. “These girls are just…” I shrug.
“The clubwhores are a way to pass time. Fun when we’re young, but now?” Rhino shakes his head, going back to his food. “Not really fun when they’ve fucked you and your dad and would probably fuck your son if you had one.”
It’s exactly what I was thinking… Though, Rhino still enjoys the clubwhores and any other girl he can get his hands on and his dick in.
Not sure what happened, but one day I woke up and was just tired of the girls around here. It’s the same old shit day in and day out. Don’t have much energy to go to bars and pick up chicks. I don’t want to put in the work for it. Coming home to my woman laid out on the table to feast on for dinner sounds like the perfect thing to me. Better than finding a new one each night. A pussy is a pussy, but I’m ready for more than a warm hole to sink my dick into.
“She’s cool. Got a lot of shit going on though,” I say .
“Don’t we all,” Rhino answers.
Yeah, I guess we do.
My brother slips a sheet of paper beside me on the table, then one to Rhino.
“Everyone has shit they need to do for the charity event. You’ll find everything listed on here. I need an update each week at meetings, no exceptions. Not even pussy.”
I flip him off as he walks away to hand a sheet to the other members lounging on the couch. I don’t mind helping anyone in the club with anything they need. I would die for any of the guys in this club because they would do the same for me. But whatever stick is up my brother’s ass needs to be removed—and ASAP. Don’t know what his issue is, but maybe he needs to get laid or something. He can’t possibly be this pissed over me dragging him to the diner a few times, can he? He gets mad over stupid shit sometimes, but this is too much… even for him.
Rhino nudges me, lowering his voice and says, “You need someone to go to the diner with? You let me know. Maybe your girl has a friend.”
“Good looking out,” I say, grabbing the paper Snapper left for me. “Fuck off,” I grumble, reaching over to grab Rhino’s paper. He lets me, and I get even more pissed when I see how much work I have to do compared to him. “The fuck, Snapper? Why do I have all this shit to do?”
I shove Rhino’s paper back at him and he takes it with one hand while shoving food into his mouth with the other .
Snapper turns to look at me. “It’s not more work, just different. You’re the one out there every day talking to all the people in the town. You know them better than the rest of us.”
“I do fucking not,” I say, and know damn well that it’s bullshit.
I know them, and they know me. It’s why I go out there in the first place, but I do that for me. Having it called out like this? I’m not into that shit. I don’t want to be turned into a fucking poster boy for this club, even if that’s what I’ve been doing this whole time, anyway. I won’t be the official spokesman for this club for the fucking town. Nope. Not happening.
“You handled shit with Terry. Deal with Ed and Martha, and Harry too. You’re friendly with people at the diner now. I’d say you do.” Snapper forces a big smile at me that says fuck you .
I grit my teeth, knowing he’s doing this to get under my skin. He knows how much I hate dealing with these ungrateful fuckers when it comes to shit like this, but he’s going to make me do it anyway. And obviously I’m gonna do it because even though they’re ungrateful and annoy the fuck outta me, they’re still the reason why I goddamn do this. They’re good people and deserve to live in a good town.
Fuck it all.
“He’s not wrong,” Coyote says as he comes out from his room. “And if you got a problem with it, you can talk to me.”
I raise a brow at him, but what I really wanna do is sock him in the fucking jaw. He thinks just because he’s the new Prez, he can talk to me that way? Yeah, of course he does. I’m sure the only reason he’s here at all is for the fucking power hit. Lord knows he don’t wanna be here ‘cause he cares. Everyone knows it too. He hasn’t fucked up bad enough to be voted out though. Bet we’re all waiting for it to happen, but aren’t stupid enough to say that shit out loud.
“No problem,” I say, getting to my feet. “In fact, I’ll get started on it right fucking now.”
Without cleaning a single thing up, I walk outta the club and get on my bike. I shove the paper into my pocket and take off.
I can’t see myself doing anything other than being a part of this MC, living the life that comes with it—including helping this town. It’s how I was raised, and it feels damn good. As much as it frustrates me how these people can be some days, I know I’m helping them. Would just be nice if they would show some appreciation once in a while. Kind of like how Noah did. His enthusiasm about the club makes me remember why I love it, ‘cause sometimes it’s hard to remember that. And speaking of, my first stop is the convenience store since it’s closest. There are two people in line when I get inside.
“Hiya, Shark,” James Kenting says as I stop behind him, waiting my turn to talk to Terry, who is at the register, ringing people up.
Only a single cashier and register in this store. If you’re in a rush, well, sucks to be you. No one in this town knows how to do anything quick.
“How’s it going?” I answer.
“Not bad,” he says. “Busy preparing for the new school year. ”
He’s the principal of the high school and has been doing great things for the school since he started four years ago. Pinehaven has one daycare, one elementary-middle, and one high school. Town isn’t big enough for much more—population wise. Two towns close by send some of their kids here too. The classes rarely have more than fifteen kids, and if there aren’t enough kids, they stick similar grades together in one classroom.
“Didn’t school just end?” I ask.
He chuckles, putting his stuff down on the counter when the other person heads for the door.
“Never stops for us,” he says. “Hey, you got any information about the charity event yet? You need some help? I got a few kids looking for summer jobs.”
I scratch the back of my head. “Uh, yeah. Snapper’s working on it. Not sure he’s got any paid gigs, but I can ask and have him let you know. Plenty of volunteer work, though.”
“Just as well. Teach these kids to be kind, you know? Seems to be lacking nowadays.”
Ain’t that the truth?
He pays for his items and waves before walking out the door. I wait until it closes before stepping up to the counter. Terry eyes me warily.
“They haven’t been back,” he grunts out.
I narrow my eyes on Terry, wondering why the fuck he’s being so defensive. Is it nerves? Guilt? Annoyance?
“Not what I was going to ask. But…” I lean forward on the counter, lowering my voice. “You sure about that? ”
“‘Course I’m sure,” he spits out. “Why would I lie?”
I watch him for a minute, trying to decide if he’s lying or not. Don’t think he is, but something’s up with him. He’s acting strange. Maybe he found out about Noah coming to us?
“I’m here about the charity event. Snapper needs to know what you’re donating.”
“Drinks, like I usually do,” he snaps back.
“Don’t get feisty with me,” I grit out. “I am not your enemy here. All I’m trying to do is make this town safe.”
He wants to argue. I see his jaw clenching. But he keeps his mouth shut, which I appreciate. Last thing I wanna do is lay him out for being a cocky prick. Now what I really wanna do, what I’m gonna do, is make sure his son gets to be prospect because that’ll really piss this asshole off.
“Snapper will be in touch,” I say, turning to leave. By the door is a display with fresh flowers. There’s a real pretty bunch full of bright colors. I grab it and hold it up to Terry, who is glaring at me.
“Add this to my tab,” I say as I walk out.
Ain’t got no tab at this place, but I guess I do now.
Before making rounds to other places on my list to get info on who is donating what, I stop at the diner, even though it’s on the other end of town. I don’t want the flowers to wilt. They need water and sunlight, not to be whipped around in the wind from my bike.
Cora and I had a great night last night. Her father was having a good day, something she says is pretty rare. Felt a little bad taking time from them, considering she doesn’t get many days like that. It’s also why I didn’t tell her that he kept calling me by my father’s name, mistaken me for him. Didn’t even know my father knew the guy, but I guess they were friends. Just shows that everyone who’s told me I look just like Pops knows what they’re talking about. I’m sure Cora will put two and two together once she learns my real name, and hopefully she’ll understand that I hid it for a reason. I didn’t want all that to be about me. I wanted her to enjoy time with her father.
It’s been a long damn time since I’ve had a family at home. Yeah, I got my club family, but once I go home… shit’s empty. Dare I say lonely sometimes? Not like how it was when Pops was alive. He always had someone over, was always cooking on the grill and watching football on the big screen. That’s how and why the club became my life. It was at the club, and it was at home. Now? Everything’s just… distant. Kept separate. I know it’ll go back to how it was one day, once all the wrinkles are ironed out. But in the meanwhile? It just kinda sucks.
I like the peace and the quiet, but sometimes I just want that peace and quiet with someone else, too. I remember sitting outside by the fire with Pops and his friends—the guys from the club. Sometimes we wouldn’t speak for hours. We’d just sit there and enjoy not being alone .
Though Cora and I were talking, I got a pleasant reminder of what that was like. A taste of what it could be like with her. If things went somewhere with us. I realized how much I want it to. What I really realized is that I don’t just want a hookup anymore; I want the real thing.
Fuck, and when she kissed me? I can’t even think about it without getting hard.
She kissed me.
That never goddamn happens. I mean, not with someone like her. Sure, I got the clubwhores all over me, trying to shove their tongues down my throat every chance they get. ‘Course they wanna be with the VP of the club, though they’ll take anything they can get as long as they’re “included.” Most of them know I don’t play that way anymore, but it doesn’t stop them from trying.
But Cora leaned all the way in to kiss me, and when I felt her lips on mine, I nearly exploded it felt so goddamn good. It felt right. Sounds cheesy as fuck, I know, but it’s true. Kissing her, being at her house, eating dinner with her family, it’s all the shit I’ve been missing.
Mama died when I was eleven, and life for us changed. Snapper took it real hard. Pops got stricter with us being a part of the club. I think he didn’t know where else to turn, so he went to what he knew. Club life was always our life, but Mama made sure we had a good home life, too. She kept it more separate than Pops did, but not as separate as it is now. Snapper and I both got patched in the day we turned eighteen and Pops had never been more proud. This is what our life is, and I’m cool with that. But knowing there is more out there? Feeling all those nostalgic memories come up? I want more of it.
There are only a few tables taken when I step inside the diner, the bar completely empty. Smells the same way it always does—like greasy food and coffee. There’s one waitress I don’t recognize talking to some customers at a table. I look around for Cora, knowing she’s here. She told me she was working today. But also, I already knew that.
As I move closer to the bar that’s just ahead of the door, I get a flash of dark in the kitchen through the food window. I smile, knowing immediately it’s Cora, until I get a better look and see Norman fucking Haltman, the prick manager, pointing in her face like she’s a dog. Now there’s no way in fuck I’m gonna stand for that. We don’t disrespect women in this town, and we definitely don’t disrespect my woman.
With a growl, I drop the flowers into the bar and push through the kitchen door, knowing I have no business being back here, but I have every bit of business being back here if some diner manager piece of shit is going to be disrespecting my girl like that.
I take care of this town, protect the people from douchebags like this, and some bullshit rule about employees only ain’t gonna stop me.
Christian, the guy on the grill who’s worked here for fucking ever, widens his eyes when he sees me. He ain’t scared for me or himself, though. He’s scared for Norman—as he should be .
Christian’s family goes way back in this town, though most of them have passed. Everyone knows of the Carmichaels, though. We’ve got statues all over to make sure people remember. Christian keeps to himself most of the time. Now and then he’ll come to community events, but usually only leaves his house to work or stop at the grocery store. He’s the guy you go to when you want info because he’s always got it but will never tell you how he got it. I respect that. Bringing his attention back to the food he’s grilling, he smirks.
“Why the fuck are you talking to her like that?” I spit out when I reach the piece of shit screaming at my girl.
Norman scowls at me, looking like he can’t figure out why the fuck I’m back here. He isn’t much taller than Cora, maybe three inches. The fucker is way smaller than me, meaning I could break his bones pretty damn easily. I’m tempted to do it too. Let’s see how badly he wants to point in my girl’s face with broken fingers.
Cora’s eyes widen almost as much as Christian’s did, but she looks more surprised than worried.
“You don’t belong back here,” Norman growls.
“This is my goddamn town, and I’ll go where the fuck I want.” I take a step closer to him. “Now tell me why the fuck you’re yelling at her like that.”
He looks up at me, and I’ll give it to him. Guy’s got balls. Doesn’t even look scared. That just makes him stupid, though. If he thinks I won’t fuck him up, he’s dead wrong .
“I wasn’t yelling,” he says. Okay, he wasn’t yelling, but he was being a dick. “Work business isn’t your business, biker boy.”
Biker boy? Biker boy? Is he fucking joking?
I jab him in the chest with my finger, causing him to frown.
“That’s my girl, meaning it is my goddamn business.” I take another step closer to him. Cora takes a step back so I can move directly in front of Norman, who stumbles back. “Now you can tell me why the fuck you think you can talk to her like that, or I can see how well your grill works by smashing your face into it. You pick.”
There’s a gasp. Sounds feminine. Likely Cora.
I warned her club life isn’t always pretty, and well, she kissed me. If she’s gonna pursue something with me, which I sure as fuck hope she does, it’s best she sees all the ugly shit up front.
Okay, maybe not all of it. I don’t need to let her know I’ve killed a guy or two—or ten—but she should at least see some of what I do. Get a little taste. Just to make sure she’s cool with it. I mean, she has to be cool with it. How else is this going to work? Even if it’s just friends, I won’t lie to her about what I do. This is my life; this is how I am. I will kill for the people I care about it. That’s it. It’s very black and white for me.
“If you don’t get out of this kitchen within the next three seconds, I’ll call the sheriff,” Norman threatens, voice steady.
I bark out a laugh, throwing my head back. The sound echoes around the small kitchen, and I bet everyone heard it out in the dining room .
“Go ahead, Haltman. Please call Dunner. Have him and Shaw come down here. We’ll have a good old meeting. See how well that goes for you.”
Norman grits his teeth, his skin flushing an angry purple. He’s some douchebag prick who has no ties to this town. Doesn’t even live here. No idea how he got this job, considering everyone in this town likes to keep things in the family. But something about Norman marrying into Daisy’s family or some bullshit. His wife died, yet he got all her stuff? Took all the money and moved to the city. Yet he drives his ass here to manage this place? Something’s up with that.
I lift my hand, shoving my finger in his face. Finally he flinches.
“If I ever, and I mean ever , see you talking to her, or anyone else for that matter, but especially her, with anything other than the utmost respect—“ I grip his face, squishing it into a fish face, and I watch as his hands ball into fists as if he’s going to punch me. Man, I wish this fucker would. It’s been a while since I laid anyone out, and he’s the perfect target. “They’ll be using your dental records to identify your body. Do we have an understanding?”
Anger blazes in his eyes, but he doesn’t say anything. Doesn’t do anything to let me know he understands. So I squeeze him tighter until he whimpers.
“I said, do we have an understanding?”
“Yesh!” he shouts through his fish lips.
I smile, letting go of his face and patting his cheek .
“Good boy, Norman. I’m so proud of you for making the right decision.”
I turn to Cora, take her hand, and guide her out of the kitchen. I feel her hesitation, but she follows me. When we’re out by the bar, I stop and turn to her, letting all my anger from that situation slide right off. I swipe the flowers from the countertop and hand them to her.
“Got these for you, sweetheart.”
Her jaw drops open, but she isn’t looking at the flowers. She’s looking at me. Still shocked, maybe? Or she hates the flowers? I can’t tell.
“Do you hate them?” I ask, frowning. Maybe she’s allergic? Shit, I should have asked.
Cora blinks a few times, then shakes her head. There’s a frown on her lips—soft beautiful lips I can taste, but then it turns into a smile.
“I think you made him pee his pants,” she says quietly, and I can’t help but laugh.
“Less than he deserves,” I say, urging the flowers toward her.
She looks at them as if she’s only seeing them just now, her eyes lighting up.
“You got these for me?”
“Sure did.”
She takes them, holding them to her chest. “Thank you.”
“Any time.” I glance into the kitchen, and she does the same. Norman isn’t where he was, probably hiding in the bathroom to change his tighty whities .
When Cora turns back to me, I meet her gorgeous eyes.
“What are you doing tonight?” she asks.
“Going to see you.”
“Nine o’clock?”
I hold her chin, running my thumb along her bottom lip, watching as they part and wanting to dive in and kiss her. I hold myself back though because she’s working and I don’t want to upset her by making a scene in front of everyone. Not yet anyway. Once she realizes that we’re meant to be together, I’m gonna kiss her silly everywhere.
“Can’t wait,” I say, dropping my hand and heading out the door.
Nothing wrong with making the woman want me a little either.