Chapter Five. #2
Calamity followed as I grabbed a club SUV and carefully placed her inside. She whined until Calamity got in with the puppies and settled next to her. Her eyes were killing me; so much pain was in them. No matter what happened, I was taking her. She needed a name.
“Star,” I muttered.
“What was that?” Calamity asked.
“Her name. It’s Star.”
“What about her owners?” Calamity laughed.
“Fuck them. Star’s mine now.” It was as simple as that.
Somehow, I ended up agreeing to foster Star and the nine puppies.
Five were boys, and four were girls. News soon got around the club, and I was fielding offers to adopt them out.
Savage threatened me with bodily harm when I told him they’d all been promised.
Moments later, Luca messaged, telling me to give his to Savage.
I got another surprise when we returned to the club and discovered a male German Shepherd lying in the road.
I drove back to Rosie with him in the car.
Rosie believed he was the dad and agreed to do some DNA tests for me.
Now I had ten German Shepherds. Shit. I’d better stock up.
I headed to the local pet shop and left nearly a thousand bucks lighter.
The owner helped me carry everything to the SUV, and I headed home again.
My shoulder was killing me, so I took some painkillers and dozed off. However, I didn’t sleep through Texas pounding on my door.
“Veep, we’ve received an alert. There’s a fire in town; volunteer firefighters are being called in,” Texas bellowed.
“Coming,” I shouted back with a yawn. I shrugged into jeans and a tee and stomped on my boots.
Texas was banging on doors, waking everyone up.
When I got down to the rec room, Rosie, Calamity, and Penny were hauling our equipment out.
I joined them as Elijah and Rodrigo appeared and helped.
While we did that, Rosie began handing out packs and assigning them to us.
Calamity always acted as coordinator. His leg would hold up, but we wouldn’t risk him. And tonight I had to sit out as well because of my shoulder, which pissed me the hell off. Now I understood how Calamity felt.
We headed into town and came upon a terrifying sight. At the end of Mill Street, a restaurant burned out of control. It had spread to the two shops adjoining it, and as I watched, it leapt to another. Damn, we could lose the entire row at this rate.
We pulled up and spotted the two fire engines the town owned already present. Fire Chief Ray Banks was on the scene, shouting orders.
“Where do you want us?” Calamity asked as I checked everyone’s equipment again.
“Didn’t think you’d come,” Banks replied.
“This town’s still home, even with the judgemental cunts living here,” Calamity responded.
“Take the Bath and Body Shop. The roof’s on fire, but we might save the building,” Banks ordered.
Texas grabbed two hoses from the engine and headed over to a hydrant. Deftly, he unravelled them, and moments later we had them on the go.
“Karma’s a bitch,” I murmured to Calamity as we stayed back. It bit, and I wanted to join my brothers, but knew I’d be in their way. Fuck my life.
The blaze roared uncontrollably as we tried to tame it.
We managed to get the fire at the Bath and Body Shop under control, but I winced as I considered the fire damage.
Jess had got her just deserts for being a cunt.
Meanwhile, I watched the air, kept refreshments circulating and worked with those on scene to keep onlookers back.
“That’s my shop!” a woman screamed, and I spotted Jess trying to shove her way past a police officer.
“Jess, stay back, it ain’t safe,” warned a deputy.
“Stop them! They’re ruining my stock!” Jess shrieked. “This is payback for kicking their whores out!”
My head snapped towards Jess so fast that I almost got dizzy.
“Do you own the building?” I demanded.
Jess stared hatefully. “Why do you want to know?” she yelled, like a crazy woman. “I bet you set fire to it!”
“Answer me, you fuckin’ cunt! You own the building?”
“Yes!” Jess shrieked. “Arrest them! They’re arsonists!”
“Pull back from the Bath and Body Shop,” I ordered the club. They sent grim looks over their shoulders.
“If we do, the heat’s gonna dry out the water, and the fire will jump. The shop will go up like kindling,” Ghost replied.
“The owner doesn’t want us touching her property. It’s down to her if it burns. Move over to that one and save that,” I ordered.
Jess gaped. “What did you say?”
“Fuck you, bitch,” I snarled and moved away.
“Did you hear him threaten to burn my building?” Jess yelled and looked around at the onlookers.
“Chief Banks, please put a team on the Bath and Body Shop. Jess is being unreasonable, but we can’t let the fire jump.
If it does, it could spread to the next one.
Deputy Myers, remove Jess. If she creates a disturbance, arrest her,” Cates said from behind us.
“Jess, these men are here to help, not hinder, and you’re being obstructive. ”
“Guess you want a thanks,” I replied, turning to her.
Cates shook her head. “Ain’t your enemy, Falcon.”
“No, but you’re not a friend either, Cates.”
“That’s your choice. I did what was required to clear Rage, whether you like it or not.
Anyway, I’m needed on crowd control.” Cates walked away, and I blew my cheeks out.
She’d damaged the trust between us, but somehow, I believed what she was saying.
The problem was she’d not communicated it to Calamity at the time.
“Sheriff,” I called.
Cates turned around and looked at me. “It’s gonna take time. You handled shit wrong. Should have questioned me at the clubhouse.”
“Why should you get different treatment than anyone else, Falcon? Ask yourself that.”
Damn, if Cates didn’t have a point.
For hours, the fire blazed. The sun was high in the sky when Chief Banks stated that we had it under control. The three buildings were mere ruins, but the Bath and Body Shop had been saved, although Jess’s stock was now a waterlogged mess. It couldn’t have happened to a more deserving person.
Wearily, we packed up as a relief crew arrived from another town, and we headed back to the clubhouse.
Later today I’d pick up Star and the puppies.
Rosie had texted to say she was keeping the father for a couple of days.
She’d ordered some special food for Star but had declared her healthy and the pups too.
As much as I wanted to hit the sack and sleep, I first ensured all equipment was back and safely put away. Then I headed to my bunk. What a damn twenty-four hours this had been.