Sasquatch
When he’d left the clubhouse like the hounds of hell were chasing him, his mind was in a fucked-up place. Worry for his aunt, worry for Devin. Just everything all at once was weighing on his shoulders like fucking Atlas.
Thanks to Harmon, he knew where she was heading and when she planned on confronting the asshole who’d held her, but he didn’t have a clue as to where she’d hole up until then.
By his calculations, if she’d driven the speed limit she’d arrive in Omaha around midnight.
That left a lot of time to be stuck in her own head over what she’d be doing.
He knew Devin, better than even he’d realized when he thought about it. He knew she’d be second-guessing herself and conjuring up worst-case scenarios.
He didn’t want to steal the moment from her, one she obviously needed, but he couldn’t let her go it alone. He’d ride around the entire city if he had to all night until he found her.
Prez had already put the call in to the local brothers to be out spotting for her but not approach. They just wanted eyes on. Heading out of town, he had to pass the bar they’d visited, apparently Devin’s favorite hangout.
Harmon had said Scott knew, but the bar wouldn’t be open that early and he had no way to locate him.
He let his eyes take in his motel as he passed, he was still looking that way when the bar came into view and he almost dumped his bike braking so fast. Out front, propped on a stool dragged into the parking lot close to the road was a big ass white board.
On it, scrawled in dry-erase marker was…
BIGFOOT INSIDE
Scott
Despite the shit cyclone that was sweeping through his life, he managed to laugh. It was definitely a message to him.
After heeling the stand down and dismounting, he swept the board up, carrying it under his arm inside. The damn thing still almost touched the ground.
The bar wasn’t open yet but Scott was behind the bar doing paperwork.
“Ah, my favorite cryptid. I see you got my message.”
“It was hard to miss. I’m assuming it’s about Dev.”
“It is.” Squatch leaned the board against the bar and sat his ass on a stool while Scott slid him a water.
“I assume since you passed this way, you’re heading after her?”
Fuck, did everyone know where she was going but him?
“Yep. And I assume by your subtle bat signal, you can impart some information I may need.”
Scott crossed his arms and stared into his eyes so long it was borderline disrespectful but right then, he had something Squatch needed, so he’d take it. Scott must’ve found whatever it was he was searching for because he nodded.
“I assume by the shiner, her brother approves.”
Squatch nodded.
Squatch didn’t need Scott’s approval, Devin was his, end of. However, he also knew how much Scott meant to her, especially since he knew more about what happened and where Devin was than Squatch did.
Plus, the bastard had cared enough about Devin to leave Squatch a sign he couldn’t miss, that made Scott okay in Squatch’s book.
So, he did what he knew would win him points with Devin, especially when she found out he’d claimed her to everyone but her.
“And you? Do you?” Scott’s smile was telling. He’d done the right thing and won him over in the process.
“Hell yeah. My girl could definitely do worse. But just because I’m not a fighter and nowhere near as big as a house, I can be smart and sneaky, especially if my friend gets hurt.”
Not the kind of threat he was used to but he understood that Devin had someone else looking out for her and he’d never fault anyone for that.
“Noted, I can fight and I am as big as a house, and I feel the same way.” As enforcer, he couldn’t just let it land when the man had tossed it without returning the favor.
“Noted. Now, she’ll be staying at the Omaha Inn tonight.
Judging from when she left my place this morning at o’dark thirty, she should arrive around midnight.
She’s supposed to text when she checks in, but I know she won’t.
Instead, she’ll shower, put on a pair of ridiculous socks, cat or chicken feet, don’t ask.
Then hunker down with snacks first and wallow in her head before she remembers to text.
” Scott smiled to himself before adding on.
“The more nervous she is, the more sweet and sour will be on the menu.” Squatch didn’t know the sock thing, but he did know the snack thing.
“Yep,” he agreed. “And the saltier and crunchier, the calmer she is and the chocolate and sweets for…”
“Aunt Flo,” Scott said at the same time Squatch said, “Shark week.”
Seems he did know her after all. If he were honest with himself, he never took his eyes off her when she was at the clubhouse or hanging at the bar. He knew her moods and the way she chewed her lips when she wasn’t being fully spot on or picked her cuticles when she was nervous.
It was staring him in the face, she’d planned this for weeks and he just wrote it off as other things.
“Anyway,” Scott interrupted his self-admonishment.
“She wants to stand up to him herself, she needs to, but we can’t let her do it alone.
I know I’m breaking our friendship code by telling you where she’ll be, but seriously Jasper, she can’t be alone.
She thinks by doing it herself she’ll take back her power and ability to trust. But she can still do it herself with you at her back, yeah? ”
Scott looked torn and Squatch understood. If Devin felt betrayed, she’d never speak to him again, but he was right.
“I’ll let her lead, but I won’t let her be alone.
I’ll take care of her, Scott.” When he lifted his eyes, he saw relief there, even if he just lost his friend over it.
And that was the reason Squatch would protect their bond.
Scott was a good man and a good friend to the woman he loved. Yep, he did, he loved her.
Squatch slid a card toward Scott with his personal and club contact info on it.
“We’ve got the Omaha brothers on standby to find where she is and keep eyes on her until I can arrive.
” He pulled out his phone and searched Omaha Inn.
It was on Jones. “I think I’ll message them to start with hotels on the east side, the Jones and Fifth area.
If they spot her car, then well, I’ll have to go to where they found her. ”
He gave Scott a pointed look, and realization dawned on him. Squatch would cover for him.
“I need to take off, I’ve got a long—”
The door to the back banged open and the old man stood there taking in Squatch.
Shit, he hadn’t doffed his colors before coming inside.
That was a direct hit of disrespect to the old man, one Devin adored.
Shit, shit, shit. He didn’t need the club involved in any other petty squabbles at the moment.
There was too much shit, so he was going to have to fucking humble himself, but Devin’s safety was worth it.
“Sorry, Ray. I didn’t mean to disrespect your rules. I’ll leave now. I owe you a marker for it. Scott knows how to reach me.”
“I don’t want a damn marker. I want you out and—”
“Pops. Calm down. It’s my fault. I brought him here for Devin.”
The old man instantly softened. “Where is she?”
“She’s heading into trouble, sir, that’s why I was here. Scott knew where to find her, and I’m going after her now.”
The old man looked between him and Scott, then the sign.
“Then get. Protect her, not a hair out of place, then we’re flush.”
The tone was no longer anger but worry pouring off the old man. There was definitely a story there, but it was for a later time.
Squatch got on the road and rode like a madman toward Nebraska. Tapping his com, he called up Irish and gave him the likely area she’d be in.
A few hours later, he got a call from his Aunt Phoebe. She was at the clubhouse, and all was well. She told him she loved him and to stay safe, they’d talk when he returned. She sounded sad and teary, but before he could ask, she’d hung up. Prez contacted him immediately after.
“How is she really?” he answered instead of a hello.
“She’s good, man. I mean it. Emotional but none the worse for wear.
She asked us not to burden you with details until you’re back with your woman.
She wants to be the one to chat with you.
You know me, Jasper, if it weren’t so, I would still spill my guts.
You wouldn’t be my Enforcer if I didn’t think you could handle things, I’m just doing right by your aunt. She seems good, truthfully.”
Zombie using his legal name meant he was speaking level. He took a deep breath, probably his first one in a while. The two women he cared most about in the world in trouble at the same time was an impossible situation, but his brothers had his back and that meant everything to him.
Then it hit him. “Wait, she knows?” He didn’t have to specify, Zombie’s uproarious laughter confirmed he knew exactly what he’d meant.
“Oh, yeah, brother. She’s practically got her sandal in one hand, smacking against the other palm waiting on you. I don’t envy you when you get back. You’ll be sleeping in one of the junkers for sure.”
Everyone knew he’d claimed Devin except Devin herself. And his aunt finding out not from him, fuck he was definitely sleeping in one of the junkers. At least they’d gotten an old seventies shaggin’ wagon in last week. He could stretch out in there until they forgave him.
When he arrived at the hotel, he circled twice before pulling in next to the two Bastards from Omaha.
“She’s in 117. Shortly after she arrived, she walked over to the station for snacks and has been quiet since.”
“Thanks, brothers, tell Irish I owe him one.”
“Not a thing. Family. Just holler if you want backup tomorrow.”
With that, they pulled off. Squatch parked his bike around back in overflow in case Devin stepped out for something and headed to the front office.
He’d slipped the kid at the desk extra cash to get 119. As he entered his room, he looked back at her car parked smack dab in front of her door, he’d have to talk with her about giving away her exact location like that.
As soon as he was settled, he texted her.