17. Incubus
INCUBUS
Dropping my phone, I almost hit my knees. If I’m understanding this correctly, in a few hours I’ll have my Stella home. The thought literally terrifies me so I look around, and all I see is Cobalt watching me.
“What’s up, Incubus, why do you look so freaked out? You want this, brother, to get your ol’ lady back, right?”
Shaking my head at first then I switch to nodding my head vigorously, confused as shit at the moment.
I take a seat to try and figure out what’s going on in my head when I feel a hand on my back.
Looking up I see Nickel, Mammoth, Psycho, Ajax, Ghost, and Cobalt all standing in front of me.
I can see the other brothers looking to Cobalt to see what the fuck is going on.
He moves in front of me and crouches down before me, putting his hands on my knees.
“Brother, I get it and don’t fret. We won’t let anything happen to her, she’s coming home today.
Now let’s talk this out and tell us what you need, that’s why we’re here to help ya, brother.
The money is in the safe in our chapel, as chapter after chapter has been sending money to us these last two weeks when they heard what happened.
Also, we all talked and if we need to touch the club’s emergency fund, we’re good with that too.
Whatever Stella needs once she’s back here will be available.
One thing, Incubus, it’s gonna take her some time to acclimate and that’s even before therapy.
We’ll talk about that once she’s settled, if that’s okay?
Maybe you might want to keep her at your house for a while and away from the clubhouse and all of us. ”
I just nod, shocked as shit that our Kings of Anarchy community has come together to help me and mine.
I know there are brothers who don’t care for me, which I get ’cause there are times I don’t particularly like myself that much either.
I’m so touched, I put my hands on Cobalt’s and lean forward, trying to take a moment to just breathe and to control my emotions.
When my phone rings, I immediately grab it and put it on speaker. It’s the dudes who have Stella.
“Change of plans, motherfucker, there are other women here and for an additional two hundred and fifty thousand dollars you will be taking them off our hands too. Nope, this isn’t a question. If you want the ball and chain, then she comes with friends. See you soon.”
He hangs up and we all look at each other.
What the ever-lovin’ fuck are we going to do with women who apparently have been trafficked, raped, and God knows what else?
I look to see Cobalt with his phone in hand, scrolling through, I’m guessing, names or something.
When he punches the screen, I wait like everyone else does. Then he starts to talk to someone.
“Hey, Brick, yeah, brother, its been a fucking while, say that again. Got a quick second? Need some guidance. I know you’ve spoken about a club that takes in women who have been either trafficked or abused, right?
Well, I got a situation I might need your help with, if you’re up to it. Let me explain it to you.”
As I listen to my prez speaking to the prez of the Grimm Wolves Motorcycle Club, also in Indiana, it dawns on me this is actually going to go through, so I have a couple of things to take care of.
I give a chin lift to Cobalt, who waves, then I tell Psycho what I’m gonna do.
He nods and gives me a shoulder squeeze.
I grab Nickel and head out the clubhouse, telling him to meet me at my house, to which he gives me a thumbs-up.
The drive to my house is under eight minutes and Nickel is on my ass.
I haven’t been coming home so to see the flowers on the porch and all the little statues and solar lights surprises me.
When I open the door, I almost piss myself with the noises coming from inside.
I hear Girlie, Sparkle, a few of the sweet butts, who have never been to my home, and the loudest—my daughter—all singing, if I’m not wrong, an Alicia Keys song.
Damn is my thought as I lean in the doorway and watch a bunch of women and one little girl throw down all they got singing about “If I Ain’t Got You.
” It hits me hard, right in the chest, how appropriate of a song it is.
I’m so drawn into the words that when a little hurricane comes barreling into me, I almost land on my ass.
When I look down at Isabella she’s smiling up at me like I can do anything, which is exactly what I need right about now.
Stella ain’t home yet, and you never know what desperate people will do.
Leaning down I pick up my daughter and start dancing with her, singing the words perfectly.
I mean, every Irish Catholic kid goes to church and sings in choir, not sure why they are shocked.
Every single woman stops singing, staring at me, mouths open, eyes wide, but all that matters to me is the little girl in my arms. We sing to each other as I swing her back and forth, holding her tightly to me.
When the song is over Isabella starts screaming right in my face, “Again, again, Papà.” I laugh and it feels really good for a second, until I realize I’ve neglected our daughter and how disappointed Stella will be.
I scream in pain from Girlie pinching my side, yet again.
I swear loudly, time and time again, until Isabella puts her little finger on my mouth.
“Papà, we need a swear jar because I can make a lot of money with you and my uncles. Why are you swearing at Auntie Julie? That is just plain rude. Mamma would…”
Her eyes fill with tears and all of my thoughts of not telling her about Stella fall to the wayside.
I shift her and walk toward the table, sitting in one of the chairs.
Everyone gathers, though the sweet butts stay on the outside of the circle.
Gonna need to have a word with Sparkle, as I don’t want to throw the women from my past in Stella’s face, that’s for damn sure.
“Little one, I have something to talk to you about. Please let me get this out, Isabella. I think we’ve found your mamma. No, stop right now, stay still. Your uncles and I are gonna get her and bring her home. I just wanted you to know.”
“Papà, I’m going with because she’s my mamma and I should be there. I don’t want to argue. Let me down so I can get ready, please.”
I can’t hide the smile that appears on my face.
My little warrior is exactly like her mamma.
Girlie comes close, as Sparkle does. A few of the club girls approach but there are a few who stay away, which is a good thing.
They are the ones I don’t want to get familiar with my home.
When Girlie comes close, she winks at me first.
“Isabella, girlfriend, thought you’d want to stay with Auntie Sparkle and the other girls to get everything ready for your what do you call her…
Mamma, right? We need to clean the house, change the bed, and make a feast. Who will tell us her favorites if you aren’t here, little one, though the choice is yours.
Just to remind you though, you will be going with a lot of boys who swear, fart, and are just plain nasty, right, Sparkle? ”
Sparkle, who’s trying not to laugh, nods before she can get some control.
“Yeah, Auntie Julie isn’t lying. Remember, I run the clubhouse and they are all pigs. Don’t mean to tell tales, but if not for me that place would smell like stinky feet, poop, old food, and dirty underwear.”
I watch as Isabella leans forward, cracking up at both of her aunts. When she glances at me I can tell she sees right through them, even at her age, but she’s Stella’s kid so she does what’s right, thank God.
“Then I guess I should stay back. I’ll tell you all of my mamma’s favorite foods.”
With that settled, I leave the women and go to the one room in this house that is always locked, my “office.” This is where I keep all of my tools, weapons, and whatever else I’ll need to get Stella home.
Cobalt and I spoke and these motherfuckers aren’t just getting paid and going on their merry goddamn way.
A club van is coming with us, well, actually two vehicles ’cause one will be one of our Tahoes.
The other vehicle is a club van that will be transporting those miserable motherfuckers who put hands on my ol’ lady.
Their days of breathing are few, that’s something I can guarantee.
Waiting is not one of my best qualities. At the moment, if one more brother runs back to get some shit they forgot, gonna pull my gun and start putting lead in their forgetful damn asses. Cobalt walks my way looking at the bike I decided to ride, shaking his head.
“Motherfucker, they’ll hear you five miles away with that bitch.”
He’s outright grinning but his smile fades when I reply.
“Brother, I picked this one so Stella hears me and knows I’m coming to get her. This is her favorite bike of mine.”
I watch him put his head down, which has me eyeing my bike.
It is matte black paint, pipes, and just about everything that can be is matte.
There is scrollwork all over the tank and, if you look close enough, you see the name Stella wound into the very labor-intensive design.
When we were talking to my guy regarding the paint job and he said scroll, I laughed my ass off before I asked Gabriel if I looked like a guy who would ride a bike with squiggly lines.
He told me to trust him, and thank Christ I did ’cause this is such a badass machine.
Between scrolling lines there are skulls, and here and there tiny bells for Isabella when she was born.
The bells also have tiny skulls on the top of them.
Lots of work but the folks at Wheels & Hogs Garage are so badass and do phenomenal work.
Cobalt calls for everyone to load up and I watch as most of our chapter get on their bikes.
The prospects without a good running bike are in the Tahoe or club van.
When Psycho raises his hand we all start our engines, and that’s when we hear screaming.
Turning my head, leave it to Girlie and Sparkle to be crazy fucks.
By the clubhouse door Girlie, Sparkle, and some of the sweet butts are screaming, while Isabella jumps up and down like a cheerleader as she is smiling and crying.
My God, she’s gonna break my black heart.
She grabs Girlie’s hand and they both walk up to my bike.
Girlie lifts my girl, who leans in, giving me a very solemn kiss then whispers in my ear in her little voice trembling.
“Papà, please bring Mamma home, she’s been gone way too long. I love you.”
Leaning in, she gives me one more kiss then looks at Girlie who, with Isabella in her arms, leans in, surprising the fuck outta me by placing a quick kiss on my cheek. She bends and puts Isabella down but keeps holding her hand.
“Incubus, when you ride off this parking lot you’re not Isabella’s papà or my friend…
you are the enforcer of the Kings of Anarchy Indiana Chapter.
Go get Stella and bring those motherfuckers back here so they can go to ground.
Don’t let me down, Incubus, I don’t want to have to tell folks you’ve gone soft. ”
With that she moves back, but I don’t see her hand until I feel the pinch in my side, which has me yelping and Cobalt cracking up.
We watch them all walk away. In my head I give a huge thank you to Girlie ’cause she just gave me permission to stop being human and go back to the dark, deadly fucker I’m known to be.
Once we have Stella with us, my animal will grab those bastards, and by the time I’m done with them they will wish they were never born. That is a promise I intend to keep.