Chapter Twelve #2
His dad led the two women inside the cabin, leaving him with Bull.
Pat stepped down off the porch and went to him.
“How’s Rusty?” Bull asked.
“Dad fixed him up. He’s going to be out of it, but Dad will keep an eye on him.”
“Your dad is great,” Bull said.
“You’ve got to stop doing this shit to yourself,” Pat said.
“It’s fine.”
“No, it’s not. My dad had a beef with your dad, not you.”
“Pat, if I had acted sooner, your mom would still be alive. None of this shit would have happened. Fuck!”
“Stop. You and I both know none of us could have stopped your dad. That is all in the past, and you’ve got to leave it there and not bring it into the present.
Shit happens. We all know that, and it is not always our fault.
We need to deal with the fact the cartel was able to get to that mom and kid, and lure us out to the garage,” Pat said.
“What?”
“That tow job you got me to take care of. There was nothing wrong with the car. It was perfectly fine and running great. It was a setup, and that means the mother was involved.”
“Oh, fuck me,” Bull said.
“You need to get Dylan to go to her house. I have a feeling he’s going to be cleaning up two bodies,” Pat said.
****
V iolet and Doc were hitting it off. Ava sat on the porch and watched the two just talking.
She had never seen her sister so intensely curious in what a man had to say.
She sipped at her coffee and enjoyed the cake.
She knew it was one Lauren had baked. Lauren not only baked for the coffee shop, but she also did regular orders for special customers or occasions.
She had a regular clientele. The other woman liked to keep busy, and Ava could relate.
“I don’t know if I should be happy or freaked out by that,” Pat said, coming to sit beside her.
Ava smiled at him. “It’s ... kind of strange.”
“If they get together, Violet will be my stepmom, and I don’t like that. Aren’t stepmoms supposed to be into the sons?”
Ava laughed. “I think you’ll be safe. Trust me, Violet has no interest in you.”
Ava looked toward Violet and Doc again, who seemed to be enjoying each other’s company. Her sister kept reaching out, touching Doc’s arm. She never recalled Violet being so familiar with anyone.
“You snuck out,” Pat said.
Ava sighed. “Yeah, uh, I am so sorry about that.”
“Do you regret what we did?” he asked.
“No, no, absolutely not,” Ava said.
“Why did you sneak out?”
“Because ... you looked so peaceful. And I know that is not a good reason, because in truth, that is every reason to stay.” She sighed. “Uh, this is ... I didn’t know what the protocol is. I’ve never been in this position, and I didn’t know if it would be awkward if I stayed.”
“Ava, you’re not a quick fuck, or some fun.” Pat reached out and took her hand. “I know we have an age gap.”
“I don’t care about that.”
“I do and I don’t. I keep telling myself you need to find someone your own age, but then I keep thinking about you with someone your own age, and I can’t stand it. I don’t want to see you in another man’s arms. I want you to be my girl. Only mine.”
This was more than she could have hoped for. She took a deep breath, and she felt that fluttering in her stomach. She smiled at him and nodded. “I’d like that.”
“Then it’s final, you’re my girl, Ava, and that means no more sneaking out. When I wake up, I want you there. When I go to sleep, I fucking want you there. Got it?”
Ava got to her feet, and she couldn’t resist taking a seat on his lap and smiling at him. “Got it.”
Pat massaged her thigh, and this felt good. It felt right.
“Do you need to get to work?” Pat asked.
Ava glanced down at the time and saw it was a little after three, and then groaned. “Crap, yes.” She winced.
“What’s going on?” Doc asked.
“Ava needs to get ready to go to work. I’ve got to head back. I work with my mom at the local fabric store,” Violet said. “Bull was being an ass and wouldn’t let us drive, so we need to hitch a ride back to town.”
Bull had already left, and the car he brought Rusty in had been taken to get cleaned. Grant was staying to keep an eye on Rusty.
“I’ll take you all back to town,” Doc said.
“Dad, you don’t need to do that,” Pat said.
“Yeah, I do, otherwise, you’ve got to take my car, and you may be a grown-ass man, but you’re still not driving my car,” Doc said.
Ava couldn’t believe how surreal it was to hear someone talk to Pat like that. This was father and son.
Pat didn’t ride up front. Violet got to the car, and jumped right in beside Doc. Bernice was between her and Pat in the back.
“Nice car, Doc,” Violet said.
Ava looked to Pat, who was not looking amused. Listening to Doc and Violet flirt was an interesting experience.
Doc took her and Pat to the clubhouse. He pulled in alongside the main clubhouse and waited for her to climb out. Ava kissed her sister’s cheek. She told Doc it was nice to meet him.
“Likewise, sweetheart, and don’t you lose that sparkle. Don’t let my son walk all over you.”
She chuckled as she climbed out. Bernice had already trotted toward the car, waiting to get inside.
“I better go,” Ava said.
Pat reached out toward her, banded an arm around her waist, and pulled her in close.
She didn’t even have to ask him what was happening, because he took possession of her lips and kissed her hard.
He didn’t hide it. Right there in the parking lot of the Chaos and Carnage MC clubhouse, Ava had a feeling he was staking his claim.
Letting the club know she belonged to him.
She didn’t care. He could stake his claim on her all day long.
“I’ll see you tonight,” Pat said.
“Yeah, you coming by the coffee shop?” Ava asked.
“Yeah, I will.”
She looked forward to it. Ava smiled at him, then there was a loud crash and the door to the clubhouse slammed open. Ava jumped at the sound, and she saw Maddie, along with several of the bikers.
“What’s going on?” Pat asked.
Ava looked at Pat, and then toward Maddie.
“Hellen called, someone broke in and set fire to the shelter. She’s rushing to get the dogs out, and the cats, but she doesn’t know if they’re going to make it.”
“What the fuck!” Pat looked toward Ava.
She threw her car keys at him, and then jumped into the back of the car, taking Bernice with her.
“Ava, you should go.”
“No, I’m coming to help, and like your dad said, I am not going to let you stop me. I’ll call Lauren, let her know I am going to be late.”
Ava already had her cell phone out and was dialing Lauren’s number.
“Hello,” Lauren said.
“Hey, Lauren, it’s Ava, I’m going to be a little late today. I’ll try to make it as soon as I can, but I’ve got to go and help some friends. There has been a fire at the local animal shelter. I’m going to lend a hand.”
“I was actually about to call you. I heard the news. I’ve already closed up shop, and I’m on my way there,” Lauren said.
“You are?”
“Yeah, I’ve got to help. Those poor dogs.”
“I’ll see you there.” Ava hung up, and then looked toward Pat. “She’s going to be there. She heard the news and is going to help out.”
Pat put his foot on the gas, and they drove out to the animal shelter. On arrival, Ava spotted the two local vets, Phil and Andy. She also saw there were a couple of the locals, as well as her mother and sister. Even Doc was still there. Ava looked at Bernice, and she climbed out of the car.
Some of the dogs looked perfectly fine. Some of them were being treated. The flames could be seen coming out of the back, and there were firefighters on scene as well.
Pat was already gone, and Ava rushed into the animal shelter, helping to gather the dogs. Someone placed a dog in her arms and just yelled at her to move it out.
She got to work, and the smoke was getting really bad.
Making her way through the cages, she saw several were open and empty, but as she came to the last one in the line, the smoke was getting thicker and she coughed.
Tearing off some of her shirt, she pressed it to her face, like she had seen so many times in the movies, not that it seemed to help.
One of the cages was locked. Ava squinted, trying to see, and there in the corner was a tiny dog. Ava pushed against the cage, but it wouldn’t budge.
“Son of a bitch.” She threw her full body weight behind it, and then yelled, because the damn cage wasn’t moving. She grabbed the wall, and started to shove her foot against it.
“You’ve got to go,” Doc said, suddenly banding an arm around her waist.
“No!” She fought against him. “There is a dog in there and I am not going to leave it to die.”
Doc glared at her, then he looked toward the cage and she saw his determination. She didn’t know how he was able to do it, but he landed a single kick to the cage, and it sprung open as if by magic.
She didn’t get a chance to go into the cage. Doc was there, he grabbed the tiny dog, and then two firefighters urged them out of the smoke. Stepping out, Pat was there, cupping her face, tilting her head back to look at her.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, I’m good.” She let out a cough and then looked to see Doc. Violet was there, taking the dog from him, and she looked to Pat. “Do you think that is a good thing?”
Pat wrinkled his nose. “It’s not my problem. My dad will do whatever the hell he likes, and I can’t do anything to stop him.”
“Ava,” Lauren said, coming toward her. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” She hugged her friend, and then she turned to Pat. It seemed to be the day for introductions. “Pat, I’d like you to meet Lauren. She is the genius behind the coffee and baked goods.”
Lauren went bright red.
“It’s great to finally meet you.”
Lauren looked so embarrassed. “I better go and help.”
Ava looked around at the dogs. “Who could have done this?” she asked. “What kind of sicko sets fire to a damn animal shelter?”
She noticed Pat didn’t have an answer, and when she looked over at him, his expression appeared blank. He was looking at the smoking building.
It was going to be some time before they would be able to rebuild the shelter, if they were ever going to rebuild it. The animal shelter was as good as gone.