Chapter 1
One
Raff
The only fucks I give are reserved for family and fun.
Dropping my kickstand, I lean the bike on the small metal peg.
One by one, I pull my fingers from the leather gloves and lay them on my gas tank before reaching up to unhook my lid.
The half-shell helmet is lightweight and a summer staple for riding.
Hooking it to the handlebar, I dismount.
Tonight, I’m here on Ruby, my Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail, decked out in a ruby red with metallic flake paint job featuring the Hellions skull on the gas tank.
The bike is basic outside of the paint. I stripped the saddlebags, sissy bar, additional chrome, and even the exhaust tips from this bike.
Sometimes there is nothing better than a bare ride.
I mean that in every way possible. For my bike, it means no accessories. With a woman, it is an indescribable sensation to raw fuck especially in the heat of the moment.
With my helmet hanging, I drop my sunglasses inside the top. The wind is pretty steady tonight, making the Hellions flag snap in the wind. The clubhouse and surrounding area of our compound is lit up.
I’m parked at Honey’s Hot Rods when I notice the light inside the office is still on.
Looking to my watch, it is six twelve PM.
I’m right on time. I left my house at six sharp to arrive and be in a seat by six thirty even allowing myself time to chat outside should a brother feel compelled to.
This is how my brain works. Have a time window for everything and remain on schedule.
Because of my need to have my plans in allotments, I notice when others around me also have patterns.
Honey has a strict policy about being off at six sharp.
She has two kids at home. There is one thing she’s firm in having, and its dinner immediately after work at the table with them.
Before kids, she practically lived at the garage.
If she wasn’t crashing at Smoke’s house, then she was at work.
I know Stud always keeps a room for her at his house, even now, but she’s always been fiercely independent.
As soon as the house down the street from the shop came up for sale, she scooped it up.
Most days, she walks to work even though she isn’t exactly next door.
According to Honey the fresh air helps her wake up.
Personally, coffee wakes me up just fine. Whatever works for her, though.
Honey having kids, well, that is a whole different level of dedication for her.
From the moment Honey found out she was pregnant, her kids came first. From taking on the role inside to remain safe in her pregnancy to then giving birth, she protects her family, and the time dedicated to them at all costs.
When the shop is closed, Honey is off the clock.
She doesn’t answer business calls. Her personal time is precious, and she guards that shit.
It’s admirable in a world where too many are consumed with work and forget the balance of family life.
Not having a family of my own outside of the Hellions, I applaud her dedication to being a mom.
I can also appreciate someone who keeps a schedule.
I live by mine and not much can get me to deviate from it.
Instead of crossing the street over to the clubhouse as I planned, I stroll towards the entrance to the hot rod shop.
Inside, my instincts scream that I am changing from my planned schedule, while on the outside with every step I am pushing that urge down.
Sometimes the internal part of me that drives me to stay on schedule impacts my mood.
I don’t like to be late ever. Tonight, though, I don’t have serious plans making it easier for me to deviate from my plan.
In my head, I was going to the clubhouse, I would sit down, have three beers tops, head home, and crash.
I’ll still be able to do all of that, I’ll just be a few minutes later than anticipated.
The doorknob twists easily, not locked, which surprises me again.
Stepping inside, Honey sits at the front desk studying the computer.
“Why are you still here?” I ask her bluntly knowing damn well this is the last place she wants to be after hours.
She looks up from the screen, her curly hair wild around her face.
One thing about Honey, if she doesn’t say it with her mouth, she says it with her face.
Her face right now is absolute anger. Add to it I think she has literally been pulling at her hair, she is definitely frazzled.
When she’s at work her hair is always braided.
“Got nothin’ else to do at the moment, so I’m orderin’ parts. What’s it to ya, Raff?” The snap in her tone tells me something is definitely not right.
I lift my hands in surrender, “not like you be workin’ late. You like to be home with Bray and Key for dinner.” I don’t add it, but it’s also not like Honey to toss attitude around that isn’t deserved. I damn sure haven’t done anything to upset her which immediately tells me the problem.
At the mention of her kids, her stone face instantly softens before hardening again, “Well, when their dad shows up asking to take them to dinner, I have two options: be the bitch I want to be and kick him in the nuts or be the bigger person and let my kids have time with him. He may not be my favorite person, but I won’t keep them from any time they can have with him. ”
“Smoke came back to town?” I ask wondering if the fool realizes he’s playing with fire.
Those kids are everything to her and if he upsets them, disappoints them, or in any way rocks their boat, she will likely kick him in the nuts before castrating him.
Smoke knows he fucked up years ago. For whatever reason the jackass will not get his head on straight and fix this shit.
Not once has he tried to apologize. More than that, and Stud’s biggest problem, the fucker won’t come back to Salemburg to be around day in and day out for his kids.
He sends money and calls, but never consistently shows up.
Honey, Stud, any of us, we want those kids to have their dad again.
Smoke, though, he checked out. Even if it doesn’t make sense, he’s still a Hellion.
He made his choice to go Nomad, and it’s not my place as his brother to wade in on his home life.
Honey sighs, “Rode in and he’ll be ridin’ right back out tomorrow he says.” The agitation is clear in her tone.
I step behind the counter, closing the laptop screen on her before taking her hand to guide her to stand.
“Come on, there’s a get together at the clubhouse.
Have a beer, unwind your brain.” Before she can think on it, I pull her into my side wrapping my arm around her shoulders.
“Come on, Tiff,” her eyes soften that I use her real name which doesn’t happen often for any of us.
“Don’t let the shit with Smoke steal your peace.
Let’s have a beer. Bray and Key will be home before you know it, and he’ll hit the road again. ”
“That’s the problem,” she mutters draping her arm around my back as we make our way out of her office.
“Rolls in like the wind and rides right the fuck back out without a second thought to my kids wondering if or when they will see him again. He comes in does what he wants, has fun, and leaves me to take the fall for everything else. These kids get older and have more questions. I try to protect them, protect him even, but damn I don’t know what to even say anymore.
Frankly, I don’t understand men, especially Smoke. ”
I let out a sigh, “you know he’s a Nomad. You know he chose the life of riding where he wants when he wants with no commitment to a single chapter, just answering the calls wherever he goes. It’s a lifestyle he’s dedicated himself to.”
“Fuck that Nomad shit.” She gives back to me. “He got cold feet when I asked for him to grow up. He wants to be a little bitch, that’s his problem, it’s not a Nomad thing to run because you wanna be afraid of commitment.”
“Whoa, I get it, he winds you up. Love and hate are two powerful emotions, Honey. Tread lightly.” As much as I may agree with her feelings, he is still my brother.
That gets me the classic Honey smirk. “Raff, I do not understand men. That isn’t love or hate, it’s straight baffling how y’all can be.
My emotions for Smoke are nothing anymore.
I’m numb. Don’t love him, don’t hate him, just need to co-parent with his ass.
And that co-parenting would be easier with communication from the wild man. ”
I can’t stop the laugh, “Men don’t even understand men, Honey. Just how it is.”
She settles against me. After a momentary pause to lock the front door, we stroll across the street to the clubhouse. As soon as we approach the gate, the prospect opens it, and we walk through.
Sure, I could have parked behind the gate like a lot of the brothers, but I don’t plan to crash here tonight, and I like the freedom of parking over at Honey’s. The overflow parking always lands in Honey’s lot anyway. Easier for me to get out when I’m ready to leave.
The music plays as we enter the building.
Honey releases me at the same time I take my hand from her shoulders.
She doesn’t always come to these weekend parties, but she has been around enough of them throughout the years to know how this goes.
Low key, just the local Hellions and friends, nothing over the top. A night to unwind together.
“Grab my spot for us, time to people watch, I’ll get the beers,” I instruct heading to the bar.