Chapter 11
CHAPTER
ELEVEN
Mongrel
“Explain again what you’re doing today,” Jonah demands. While he and Uncle Leroy look for somewhere down here they can relocate to, he manages to come and stay with me every weekend.
“So, Doc’s ol’ lady, Gretchen, makes various sweet treats. Several of us helped renovate a pop-up camper for her and today we’re going to the local farmer’s market for her to set up and sell her stuff,” I reply as I carefully load the coolers onto the camper.
Normally, I’d just lift them up, but I still have restrictions on my left shoulder, so I’m utilizing the wheels on the bottom of the cooler, as well as the ramp that Doc built into the side to make it easy to get shit in and out.
“Sounds interesting,” he says once I explain the other vendors he’s likely to see while roaming around.
“Constance and Maria have a booth as well,” I add. “Since I’m kind of limited on what I can and can’t do right now, I don’t mind helping her at all, at least until one of two things happen. Either she sells out completely, which I suspect will happen, or Doc will show up.”
Once I’m satisfied that everything’s ready to go, I hop in the cab of the truck and motion for Jonah to get in too. “We’re heading there now so we can get it set up for her. She and Doc will bring breakfast for us.”
“Didn’t think bikers got up this early,” Jonah mumbles as we head to the gate where Monkey is waiting to open it for us.
I start laughing while shaking my head. “Stereotype much?” I ask.
There’s no anger in my tone, because despite what I’ve already told him, I don’t think he completely grasps the fact that the Triple R Ranch is a working ranch and as such, early hours are the norm.
Granted, it’s mostly the ranch hands who are up before the roosters crow, but most of the brothers have businesses they work at, so they don’t lie around all day.
Although, they do have varied hours so maybe that’s where Jonah got his ideas from, who knows?
He has the decency to look sheepish, but I can’t hold my laughter back and it fills the cab of the truck as we head into town. “What’s so funny?” he questions.
“Although the ranch hands are up early to take care of the livestock and shit, most of us make our own schedules, Jonah. The problem is, all of us have worked on the ranch in one capacity or another and those rooster hours are ingrained at this point. Same with the other brothers. I mean, I think the tattoo parlor starts taking clients around eleven, but Abyss is usually there with his ol’ lady, Shelly, by nine.
And when the ranch hosts a rodeo, we’re all up and out helping Pancho, Juan, and Luis, as well as the other ranch hands to make sure everything is just right.
I’ve slept more since I had this surgery than I have in years,” I admit.
“I probably have a wrong idea where biker clubs are concerned,” he confesses, chuckling. “But to be fair, all I know is what I’ve seen on television and in movies, so bikers aren’t typically painted in a good light.”
“I get it and I’m not gonna blow smoke up your ass.
There are clubs out there who are into a little bit of everything.
Our chapter of the Kings has a ton of legitimate businesses, though,” I reply.
I don’t mention the gray areas we live in; that’s club business and he might be my brother, but he doesn’t get to know that information.
“But so you’re aware, our club motto as a whole is ‘Nobody fucks with the Kings’ so take that information for what it’s worth. ”
“Yeah, I think I’ll pass on ruffling any feathers. So, we haven’t found anything tangible as far as the girls are concerned. Do you think they remember us?” he asks.
“I don’t know,” I admit. “They were so little, Jonah, so they probably don’t.”
It breaks my heart because not knowing where Josie, Anna, and Christie wound up kills me. There’s an inheritance out there that they’re entitled to, plus personal belongings that Grandma put aside for all of us regarding our family before it fell apart.
“I’m not gonna stop looking,” he says, his tone defiant.
“I’ve had our IT guy looking for them for years now,” I confess. “He’s chased down every lead, but so far, he’s come up empty. Now, Nerd is looking.”
“Who was looking before?” he asks.
“One of the brothers, Pokey, who recently passed away,” I reply as I slow down to make the turn into the park where the farmer’s market is located. “Look at that diagram and tell me where I need to go.”
We finally get parked, I unhitch the camper and Jonah takes the truck to park it nearby in a legitimate parking spot. By the time he’s back, I have all the pop outs opened and am getting everything set up for Gretchen, who should be here at any time.
“Holy shit, these are popular,” Jonah says from the side as he watches Gretchen talk to customers as she sells her wares.
“Right?” I reply as I grab a bag and fill it with the next customer’s request. “Gretchen, the hummingbird cake pops are sold out.”
“Got it, Mongrel,” she says. “Okay, folks, give me a few to update the sign because that might change what you want.”
I watch as she pulls the whiteboard toward her and places lines through three of the flavors that are now gone.
“We still have six dozen of the covered strawberries, two dozen of the orange creamsicle pops, one dozen red velvet, and about three dozen each of the chocolate, vanilla, and sprinkle pops,” I call out.
“We may be done sooner than I thought,” she muses before she turns to the next customer in line.
“What are we gonna do when she sells out?” Jonah asks.
“Follow her around until Doc gets here,” I admit. “Once we get the camper broken down and hitched to the truck, that is.”
“Why do we need to follow her around?” he questions.
“Because that’s what we do for the ol’ ladies,” I say.
I don’t mention that the person in charge of the fucked-up trafficking ring that we found is still out there which means Gretchen is potentially in danger.
Again, club business keeps my mouth shut.
“I don’t think any of us expected to see her sell out within the first hour of the market being open, though. ”
“Mongrel, y’all don’t have to follow me around, I’m perfectly safe,” Gretchen protests about forty-five minutes later.
“You know better than to say that,” I rebut, smirking at her. “Doc would have my head if anything happened to you.”
“Just remember, you’re still healing,” she warns, giving me the stink eye.
I roll my eyes before retorting, “I’ll do whatever is necessary to ensure you’re safe, plain and simple. I don’t factor into that at all, Gretchen.”
“There’s no way he’d be here,” she insists.
“Who?” Jonah questions.
“Some asshole who kidnapped… well, he had me kidnapped because he was gonna sell me,” Gretchen snarls out. “He found out that nobody fucks with the Kings and has laid low ever since then, which means that Doc and his brothers are always hypervigilant when I’m out and about.”
“You’re never going through what you went through again, Gretchen. Ever ,” I profess. “So, if you wanna go check out the tent with the candles and whatnot, that’s what we’ll do. Maybe I’ll find something for my therapist,” I tease.
“You like her?” Jonah asks.
“Yeah, I do,” I admit. “Only, she doesn’t date existing patients, so I’ve been busting my ass to get ahead of my rehabilitation so I can ask her out.”
“Do bikers date?” Gretchen teases. “I thought all of y’all just saw the woman you wanted, thumped your chest like cavemen and claim, ‘You’re mine’ and it’s a done deal.”
The laughter that bursts out of my lips feels a bit foreign, but in a way, that’s what it seems like happens each time one of my brothers falls for a woman.
We’ve had our fair share of drama, but each brother who now has an ol’ lady has a solid partnership.
As a club brother, one of my personal jobs is to make sure they’re always safe, plain and simple.
“Wish it was that easy,” I grouse. “But Addy doesn’t date her existing patients, so I have to wait until I’m released from her care. Already planning our first date, actually.”
“Care to share?” Gretchen teases. “I mean, as a woman I can give you suggestions.”
“I kind of started courting her,” I admit, “when I gave her the box of goodies I bought from you. So today, I figured I’d search out some things from a few of the vendors, wherever you stop, of course, and bring her another bag at my next appointment.”
“Mr. Mongrel!” a little boy yells. I turn and grin when I see JB walking toward me, his foster mom behind him. She’s using his wheelchair as a cart, I guess, since it’s full of bags.
“Is that the little guy I made the Avengers for?” Gretchen asks as he reaches our side.
“Hey, JB, you’re looking good, little man,” I say. “This is Gretchen, she’s the one who made you those cake pops.”
He grins up at Gretchen and says, “They were so good! I shared them with a friend I met in school. His name is Liam and he and his dad just moved here.”
“I’m so glad you liked them,” Gretchen replies. “Mongrel says that Miss Addy brings you surprises when you do good at therapy.”
“She does!” he exclaims. “Mr. Mongrel, guess what?”
“What, buddy?” I question. He leans in close, so I crouch down, knowing he wants to share something private with me.
“My friend Liam? His dad met Mama Rossi and he’s going to see about becoming a foster parent so that I can come and live with him and Liam!”
Considering how cruel his stepfather was to him, which required him to have to have physical therapy to begin with, this is huge for him. I glance up at his foster mom and see her smiling despite the sheen of tears she’s holding back.
“That… that’s wonderful, JB,” I manage to choke out. “Can I introduce you to my little brother?” At his nod, I motion for Jonah to move closer. “JB, this is my brother, Jonah. Jonah, this little guy is JB, and we have our physical therapy sessions at the same time.”
“Wow, you two look like each other,” JB murmurs as he stares between me and Jonah.
Jonah chuckles and nods. “Yeah, but I’m the better looking one, of course,” he teases.
We all start laughing because JB is slowly shaking his head. “I don’t know you,” he says, “but I know Miss Addy likes him , and I think she wouldn’t feel the same way about you.”
“Out of the mouths of babes,” Gretchen mumbles, snickering. “No offense, Jonah, but I think he just put you in your place.”
Jonah shrugs then asks, “So, what kind of things do you and Liam like doing?”
“We both like superheroes, and I’ve taught him how to do puzzles, since I couldn’t do a lot of things before. But now that I can again, we’re both running!” JB replies.
“Oh yeah? Our uncle taught Mongrel how to run when he was younger,” Jonah says.
JB turns wide eyes to me. “Do you still run?”
“Up until my surgery, I ran five to ten miles every day. Right now, though, while it’s healing, I’m using the treadmill in the clubhouse gym. Not as much fun, of course, but I don’t want Miss Addy upset with me,” I reply.
A movement just behind Gretchen has my eyes widening in shock. I’ve got two women, a vulnerable little boy, and my brother around me and that fucker, Devin Donnelly, is sneaking up behind my brother’s ol’ lady.
Not on my fucking watch. As he snatches her, I toss my phone to Jonah, yell out, “Mom’s birthday, call Doc and Rio, and protect JB and his foster mom,” before I give chase. Pain radiates through my shoulder, but I compartmentalize it so I can keep him in sight.
Gretchen isn’t going to be snatched again as long as I can prevent it.