9. Towles
9
Towles
E njoying a redefining moment with a woman without interruption was nearly impossible. Always some asshole stepping from the woods to screw it up. I moved April behind me for the second time in two days. I wouldn’t mention I was rescuing her for a second time.
“Don’t say anything,” I whispered. “Let them fuck up like the guys in the bank.”
Mad-dog Sharp stood in front of two other Punishers, a Glock in his hand pointed at the ground. Brothers of Chaos fired Sharp a year ago from Chaos Mods for stealing equipment used for the mods we sold. Although he was a great mechanic, none of us thought he was good enough to be a Prospect. He knew what this meant if he went any further.
“I’m a little worried about you, Sharp. You step out of the bushes with two other men. You back there getting your dick sucked?” I’d been the one who set up the cameras to catch Sharp. He told me to expect revenge one day. To watch my back .
“No, Towles. We’re going to take that bitch back into the bushes and get our dicks sucked. She looks like she could suck a golf ball through a water hose.” The two men behind him laughed and grabbed their crotches. “Take a hike, bitch.”
I shook my head at April. “So put the gun down and come get her,” I said. I felt April looking around on my left side, her hands hanging onto my triceps. I towered over her and the three men wanting a piece of me.
Sharp shook his head and chuckled. “I know you, Towles. I know what you’re capable of. I think I may just shoot you and then bend that little bitch over.”
“There are three of you, Sharp. Surely you can take little old me.” He watched my hands curl into fists, and he lost the smile.
Sharp wiped his lips, not knowing his next move. Scared men died.
“Let’s fucking take him,” the man on Sharp's right said. The man on his left agreed. “I get her first.”
“There you go, Sharp,” I said. “Let’s make it happen.”
The Glock in my waistband moved and then disappeared. My heart sank. I didn’t want April dealing with my shit. Not this way. Killing a man tore out part of your soul, leaving behind an empty spot that took forever to heal, even if you had no other choice.
“Put it back,” I whispered to April.
“Fuck you,” Sharp said and raised the gun. He never got to pull the trigger and went down in a heap. The two men stared at Sharp and then at me. When April moved around me, holding the gun, they took off for the bushes.
Sharp moaned and reached for his gun. I kicked the gun away while Sharp admired the sky. A red circle on his left shoulder grew wider.
“Quit whining like a little bitch,” I said. “She didn’t kill you. Not yet. ”
“Fucking cunt!”
April stepped forward and kicked Sharp’s wound. He cried out and sent birds from the trees.
“Watch your mouth,” April said. “The next one will be in your forehead.”
I took April’s gun and threw it halfway across the river. It would sink into the mud at the bottom and never be found. I had plenty of replacements.
“What the fuck was your real plan, Sharp?” I asked. “You assholes following me?”
“There’s a private bounty on your head, Towles,” Sharp said. I helped the man up. “I got kids to take care of.”
“Bullshit, Sharp. You don’t have any kids.”
“It’s a lot of money, Towles, and you fucked it up.”
“The Punishers put a bounty on me? I didn’t know you guys did that shit. Can’t take care of your own business?”
Sharp chuckled and shook his head no. He pointed at April. “Her old man. He’s got ten grand for the man who puts you in the ground. Every asshole in the county is looking for you.”
“Paul?” April looked up at me. “What the fuck? I’m sorry, Ethan.”
“Get the fuck out of here, Sharp. Today isn’t your day to die.” He stared at me as if wearing concrete boots. I pushed him away. “Run before I change my mind. And if I find out you ratted on her for shooting you, I’m reneging on the promise to let you live. Now, run.”
“Watch your ass, Towles.”
Sharp took off through the bushes from where he’d appeared. Moments later, I heard the roar of bikes and listened as they headed down the road.
“I had no idea he’d do such a thing,” April said. “I’ll talk to him. This has nothing to do with you. ”
“You won’t talk to him again, April. I’ll handle it because it is about me.”
I put an arm around her and raised her chin. We kissed, and although I knew we needed to leave, I never wanted to leave. It felt right. It felt good. Everyone else was fucking it up.
“He’s a jealous asshole, Ethan.” April climbed on the bike and wrapped her arms around my waist. She didn’t seem to be rattled about shooting a man. I wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.
We went straight to the club, and I let Skittles and Gigi run off with April. I joined the other officers in church.
“What happened at the river?” Beast asked.
I explained what happened, adding a smile when talking about April.
“She’s a keeper,” Big Kentucky said.
“They’re going to keep coming,” I said. “Walking into their bar and them knowing that they have Manning on their side, they feel emboldened now.”
Beast slid two photos across the table. The pictures showed the Punishers who had killed my parents. “They’re held up on a farm outside town. We counted maybe eight Prospects guarding the place. We’re going to go in the morning. First thing.”
“Means his ass has to get up,” Watcher said, pointing at Cinder.
Beast pointed at Cinder as well. “Now, you.”
Cinder stood and walked around the room, his face slack. He stopped in the far corner and crossed his arms. We all knew what he was about to say, but none of us wanted to hear it.
“Things got really fucked up one night with Kristine,” he said. He told the officers about Kristine from start to finish. Then he said something none of us ever expected. “I’ve talked to Beast. As of today, I’m going nomad. ”
Several around the room protested, but Beast stopped the noise.
“Let him finish,” Beast said.
“That bitch Trixie is an FBI agent. Not like we can waste her ass.” He looked at Watcher, who everyone knew was fucking Trixie. “It’s better for the club that I do this.”
Beast grabbed his gavel. “All in favor?” Everyone raised a hand, and he hit the table. “All in favor of hitting the Punishers in the morning?” All hands went up.
“I got something, Beast,” I said. “Something I left out about what happened at the river.” Everyone stopped talking. “April’s husband put a ten-grand hit on me.” I looked around the table. “Just know, if you’re with me, you’re probably a target.”
“Fuck it,” Big Kentucky said. “We’re always targets. We’ve got your back, brother.”
Diesel leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms, and looked down his crooked nose at me. “This motherfucker is in love.”
The room erupted in laughter, and for the first time in my life, I believed I was.
Church ended, and we headed outside. Manning and Paul Summers were waiting in the parking lot.
“What the fuck do you want?” I pointed at Summers.
“We have reason to believe April Summers is being held against her will,” Manning said. He stood like he had a corncob up his ass. Summers smirked behind him. I couldn’t figure out what in the hell April ever saw in him.
Beast walked past and stopped in front of Manning. “She doesn’t want to see this asshole.” He pointed at Summers. “You should get your ass off club property. ”
“I need verification Mr. Summers’ wife isn’t being held against her will.” Manning put his hand on the butt of his holstered gun. “I’ll get a warrant and come in there and get a look for myself, Beast.”
“I know what you did,” I said to Summers. He stopped smiling. “Ten grand isn’t going to get me dead. You’re going to have to pay more than that.”
Manning turned to Summers.
Summers shrugged. “I don’t know what he’s talking about.”
“I’ll go get her,” I said to Beast.
I found April in my room. She and the others had come through the back entrance when they received the call that Summers and Manning were on the premises.
“What do you want to do, babe?” I asked. “You don’t have to go out there.”
“To disappear.”
“We have a van out back. You and I can leave now.”
“I don’t want you in trouble.”
“Fuck this guy. What’s he going to do?”
April left the room, and I followed her outside. Summers stepped back when the entire club and their old ladies flanked April’s sides. The asshole was at a loss for words. She leaned toward me.
“I need to know I can handle these things,” she said. “He needs to know that I can and know what he lost.” She stood in front of Manning. “Obviously, I’m just fine, and I’m here because I want to be. If I go with you, I will be held against my will.”
Manning started to speak, but April stepped away to address Paul.
“It’s not too late to come home,” Paul said. “It’s okay to admit your mistake. I’ll forgive you. ”
I noticed April’s hands ball into fists. “You son-of-a-bitch. How can you stand there and pretend none of this is on you? Tell me I’m wrong, Paul. Tell me.”
Paul nodded, and Beast and Diesel pulled me away.
“None of this is my fault, April.”
“You asshole,” I said.
Manning unbuckled his holster. “Best that you take him inside,” he told Beast. “I think Towles still needs anger management counseling.”
“Whenever I’ve been at my lowest, Paul, you’re always the last person to try and bring me back to a high. I’m done. Go back to your whores.”
April walked away and went back inside.
“You can have her,” Paul said. “Her light went out a long time ago.”
Both he and Manning climbed back into their cars and left.
“That was wonderful,” Skittles said. “I’ll go check on her.”
“I got it,” I said.
I found April sitting in the kid’s play area with no kids around. I watched her from the doorway, enjoying the way she tilted her head and the way her hair lay over her shoulder. She looked at me and smiled. I enjoyed her smile more than anything. Paul was wrong about her light going out long ago. The asshole was a darkness that would dim anyone’s light.
“I’m fine,” she said. I’ve waited a long time to do that. I’m glad it has finally happened.” She put several legos together and built a house. “I have a non-compete at work. I won’t be able to practice in Pine Bluff for a year.”
“You’re going to think I’m bat shit crazy,” I said. “My mother owned a flower shop back home.”
April smiled again. “You want to move? ”
I shook my head no. “I can’t leave the club. But I can bring the flower shop here.” I sat behind her and slipped my arms around her, resting my hands on her inner thighs. She turned her head, and we shared a kiss. “I’ll move the business here and let you run it. No interference from me. Just you and the bees.”
“I’d fucking love that, Ethan.” April turned around, and we shared another kiss. The heat between us was making me hard. We breathed each other’s air and shared each other’s warmth. She was nothing like any woman I’d ever been with. “I think we should address the elephant in the room.”
“I don’t see an elephant.” I shrugged.
“I know I’m ten years older than you, Ethan.” She looked away, and I moved her chin back toward me. “Do the math. How’s that going to work with all this young pussy running around you?”
“Wow. Young pussy? The club is already changing your vocabulary.” She ran her fingers up my arms and rested her hand against my cheek. “I don’t give a damn about the age difference. The age of pussy doesn’t matter if it’s not going to treat you right.”
“I keep expecting to wake up from this dream with you, roll over, and see Paul lying beside me. It scares the living shit out of me.” She shuddered, and I realized then the damage the man had done to her emotionally and psychologically. Payback was going to be a bitch.
“You and I, we got this,” I said. “We stood, and I moved her against the wall, stepping on a doll that whined and wanted a bottle. We both laughed, and Big Kentucky came in before we headed to my room.
“We got trouble, lover boy. Need you in church now!” He nodded at April. “Ma’am.”
“Fuck.” I gently slapped April on the ass. “Duty calls, but when it’s finished, you and I have a date. ”
April joined Skittles, Gigi, and Wendy. I went into church and closed the door. Everyone but Cinder was in the room.
“Cinder’s missing,” Beast said.
“He was just here.” Watcher stood and looked out the window at the parking lot.
Beast stood and put his hands on the table. “One of Manning’s deputies found Cinder’s bike in the middle of a back road.”
“Where’s Trixie?” I asked.
“Bitch is gone,” Big Kentucky said.
“That doesn’t mean she’s responsible,” Watcher reacted.
“Just because she’s sucking your dick doesn’t mean she’s not guilty,” Beast said. “I’ve got six Prospects out searching now.” He pointed at me. “We’re still hitting the Punishers at that farmhouse in the morning. Until then, everyone’s on the street looking for Cinder and Trixie.”