Titus (The Marauders MC, #1)

Chapter One

The last few weeks, he felt something was wrong but he didn’t know what and that had been driving him crazy. He felt like he was losing his mind and the longer this situation lasted the more nervous he became. This gut-feeling was driving him crazy.

He set his tool down on the floor and had to walk away from the bike for a few minutes. Wiping the grease from his hands, he went into the clubhouse for a moment to grab a cup of coffee.

Walking past the table filled with his brothers, Crank grabbed his coffee then turned and found a plate of brownies sitting there.

He shrugged and grabbed one, he thought he recognized the scent but didn’t think about it again then bit into the brownie.

The mixture of brownie and caramel melted into his mouth and as he chewed on it, a hint of mint hit him after a moment.

His eyes widened as his taste buds went crazy.

He groaned as he closed his eyes slowly while the burst of flavors hit him, along with the memories of when and where he had tasted this combination before.

He slowly turned his head to see his president watching him.

“Pretty good huh, Crank.” Titus asked. “I ain’t never tasted a brownie like that one.”

“I have,” Crank told him. “In fact, it was exactly this good, once upon a time.”

Bouncer snorted in disbelief. “Yeah, right.”

Crank nodded. “Yeah Bouncer, it might have been a long time ago but this flavor isn’t something you ever forget.

My woman back in the day made these and I’ve never forgotten them.

They were my favorite.” Shaking his head, he admitted, “That was a long time ago and far, far away from here. Just before my life went to hell in a handbasket or so I thought. That was just before I came here in fact.”

Bouncer nodded. “You’ve been here a good long time, brother. Back then, we were just setting up and when you wanted to stay, we were kind of grateful too. Numbers gave us strength back then.”

Crank nodded. Then he glanced down at the brownie in his hand. “So where did you get this little piece of heaven then?”

“From Ruthie, down at the bakery,” Bouncer replied.

“She brought those out this morning. She just hired a new baker and she wanted us to taste her signature dish. The new girl has been working there for about two months now and she’s always coming up with stuff that sells out right away.

Ruthie has a good business going on and these are flying off the shelves. ”

Crank nodded. “I’ll just bet they do. They are fantastic.”

“Are you sure these are the same as your girl made back then?” Titus asked. “The new girl doesn’t seem to be all that old.”

Crank took another bite and when he swallowed it down he nodded. “Yeah, I haven’t had these in more than twenty some odd years but I do remember them vividly. This is Ursala’s recipe.”

“What happened back then? If you want to tell us.” Bouncer asked him.

Crank shrugged. “You know something? I don’t even know.

I do know one day when I returned from work, everything she had in my apartment was gone.

She left me, no note, no explanation either.

” Shaking his head he admitted, “I couldn’t believe she just left like that, but I wasn’t too surprised either.

My father had made his displeasure known about how unsuitable she was for a man of my standing.

I told him just days before that I loved her and I didn’t care if she measured up to his standards or not. She was the one I was gonna marry.”

Titus snorted. “A man of your standing? What the hell was that all about?”

Crank shrugged. “Let’s just say this life isn’t the one I was supposed to have.

I was supposed to follow in my father and grandfather’s footsteps into the world of high finance.

” He shook his head. “But that was never the real me. I didn’t want to live in a suit and hobnob with the rich and famous. ”

Titus shook his head. “You in high finance? I just don’t see it, Crank. You are the best on a computer but being a whiz kid with money? That’s just not you.”

“Damn right, it isn’t.” Crank shook his head.

“I manage my own money just fine but I didn’t want to manage other people’s money.

I had goals that other people didn’t and that suited me just fine.

” He looked down at the brownie in his hand and said, “But I would like to know who made these and if it's her recipe, I’d like to try and find her again. There’s so many questions I need to know the answers to. ”

Bouncer stood from the table and looked at Crank. “Are you sure you want the answers after this long? You might not like what she has to say, you know that, right?”

Crank nodded. “I looked for her for three years, but I couldn’t find her.

I still need to know why she left me, even if it's not what I want to hear.

You know, there comes a time in a person's life when they need to face things from their past. My time?” He glanced over at the platter of brownies and added, “Well, my time came in with those brownies

Nodding, Titus said, “Then let's go to Ruthie’s and see what her new baker has to say.”

A few of the others got to their feet too. They all got onto their rides and made their way into the town of Oakville. They came in on the west side and rode straight to Ruthie’s bakery.

When they arrived, the place was packed and everyone was standing in line waiting for their turn to buy some goodies.

Ruthie was behind the counter busy running from one end to the other to help her customers.

Finally, Crank and Bouncer stepped up after waiting about twenty minutes.

Ruthie looked at them with a smile. “Howdy Marauders, what can I get for you?” She winked at Bouncer.

“I’d like to ask you about the person who baked those brownie’s,” Crank stated softly.

Ruthie studied him for a moment then asked softly, “Why?”

“Because I haven’t tasted them in over two decades and I’m curious about how your new girl knew that particular recipe,” Crank told her.

Ruthie shook her head. “The girl isn’t even that old. But I know you don’t care about that.”

“No, I don’t.” Crank affirmed her guess. “I just want to know where she learned how to make them. Someone I knew back in the day said it was an old family recipe. I just need to know where she got it from, that’s all.”

Ruthie shrugged. “Ok, I’ll let you talk to her but she better not quit on me.

I can’t afford to lose her now. Her recipes have turned this place around and then some.

I can’t lose her. So you boys better watch your mouths.

Or you’ll be banned from here.” She disappeared into the back room and a few minutes later she came back with a younger woman.

Crank caught his breath when he first saw her and he stumbled back into his own past and he whispered a name, “Ursala.”

The young woman’s head snapped up in surprise and she studied the biker on the other side of the counter. “What did you say?”

Crank just stared at her for a moment then he gasped again, she had his eyes. “Who the hell are you?” he asked with a growl.

She pressed her lips tightly together then answered, “Who the hell are you?” she countered.

“My road name is Crank,” he replied.

She snorted. “Well, the name fits anyway. What do you want with me? Ruthie said you had a question about the brownies.”

Crank nodded. “I was wondering where you learned that particular recipe.”

The woman crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. “I learned it from my mom.”

Crank swallowed hard. “Who is your mother?”

“Why do you want to know?” She countered.

“Just tell me her name,” Crank demanded.

The woman sighed hard and shook her head. “Why?”

“Because you look just like her,” he told her. “Except for your eyes. Ursala had green eyes, like emeralds. Deep green eyes.”

The young woman stared at him and said nothing.

Then Crank asked her, “Tell me something, does your mom have a small tattoo shaped like a crescent moon on her right shoulder?”

The woman gasped and asked in shock, “How the hell did you know that?”

Crank reached up, turned around and dragged his t-shirt down to reveal his own matching crescent moon tattoo.

Everyone there looked surprised.