Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Rachel breathed deeply, concentrating on putting the last couple books on the shelf.
The store was quiet. Night had fallen, with only the streetlight at the end of the block on outside.
She and Gunner might want to add some outside lights under the pink and red awning—maybe some Edison lights hanging from underneath it.
The coffee shop that seemed so welcoming during the day gave off sinister vibes tonight. She needed a couple more of the kids’ cards to refill the station for tomorrow. She pulled them from her stock area in their office and walked back out.
“Well, well, well, looks like beanpole found a cushy spot. If you want to keep those bratty kids, I think five thousand would be a good start to our payment plan,” Maynard wheezed.
The last year hadn’t been kind to him. His unwashed, greasy hair hung past his ears. She cataloged him for any threats. She couldn’t see anything she deemed a threat unless a seventies tracksuit, which had numerous stains, could carry some dread disease.
“What? Your sunny personality can’t figure out an answer? How about you bend over that chair and I’ll do you for free for old times’ sake? Then you get your scrawny, stupid ass over to the register and give me my money!” Maynard screamed.
“It is I, Prospect Finn, tasked with fighting for the rights of majestic unicorns. How may I be of service to the realm?” Finn asked, walking in from the kitchen.
“I take it Gunner is through waiting?” Rachel asked, grinning.
“He was fine to wait if you wanted to have your say but since you weren’t talking, he was concerned,” Finn said.
“Who are you, and why do you have a pink unicorn backpack?” Maynard asked.
Gunner walked out, followed by the rest of the men who’d wanted to support her. Beth and the sisters had offered but with the cousins in town only through Saturday, Rachel was good with just the guys.
“He’s one of us,” Gunner said.
Oh, her man looked good with his black short-sleeve T-shirt under his cut.
She’d told Gunner last night about the plan she’d put into action with Beth.
Instead of being irritated, he’d praised her for taking the initiative and asked how he could help.
When he’d held her in his arms and said he had a fierce need to protect her while letting her have closure with Maynard, she’d been glad they were alone, and she’d crossed one other thing off her bucket list with Gunner. Her man loved her mouth on him.
“Who’s us?” Maynard asked.
“The Bluff Creek Brotherhood MC,” Finn replied.
“Well, she owes me money,” Maynard said.
Gunner’s warm hand on her shoulder reminded her that Maynard had no power over her.
“Babe, this is your plan. What do you want?” he asked.
She thought about this a lot in the last twenty-four hours when she realized that she could have whatever she wanted.
“I want him to sign away his rights to the kids, and I want him to sign the divorce papers. I don’t need to do anything to him because if he signs, then he’s no longer a factor in my life.
Now, if my man and his friends want to teach Maynard a lesson or two before he’s run out of town, then I’ll let you know that he’s left-handed just in case the lesson starts before he signs the papers,” Rachel said, enjoying the look of disbelief on Maynard’s face.
“I believe we can make that happen,” Gunner said.
“Okay,” Rachel said, tugging Gunner down so she could claim his lips. This man and the way he lit up her body was something she was going to cherish the rest of her life. She pulled away, staring into his eyes.
“Come to our bed when you’re done. I want to wake up beside you before we open the store. I’ll let the kids know tonight that you’ll be staying over,” Rachel said. The smirk on Gunner’s face told her exactly how they’d be celebrating her divorce.
“Okay, Baron’s going to run you home. I want to know you’re safe with the kids,” he said.
She nodded because honestly, what else was she supposed to do when her big, tattooed biker wanted her safe?
She glanced at Maynard, a shudder running through her when she saw he’d already peed his pants. Ugh.
“Maynard, I better never see you again,” Rachel said, taking the arm Baron held out to her.
“Take me home, please,” Rachel said.
“My pleasure, darlin’,” Baron replied.
Gunner waited until he saw Baron and Rachel drive by in her van. He didn’t want any of this to touch his sweet woman, who oozed sunshine. Come to think of it, he didn’t really want any of this to touch the shop or have them clean up before tomorrow.
“Now, what are we going to do with you, Maynard? I’m guessing you’re not going to just sign away your rights to the kids and sign the divorce papers, are you?” Gunner said.
“I want some money,” Maynard said.
“Hey, since obviously he might need some convincing, my wife suggested we use the boxing area in the gym. Concrete is sealed for easy cleanup and they are already closed,” Bear offered.
“Umm, I like that idea. Did your wife also suggest a way to get him there because urine boy isn’t riding on the back of any of our bikes,” Gunner said. They’d parked their bikes down the street at Bluff Creek Ink and gone in the back door of the shop to hide three hours before Maynard had shown up.
“No, she didn’t,” Bear replied.
“I suppose the town might get irritated if we hooked a rope to his hands and made him run behind our motorcycles until he fell,” Stone said.
“I am so glad Roam had you come to Bluff Creek,” War said, chuckling.
“Maynard’s chariot awaits,” Rascal called from the back of the building.
Gunner had Finn grab one arm while Gunner grabbed the other. Once they had him outside, Gunner chuckled.
Rascal had one of the side-by-sides, but he’d hooked up the deer sled that the club used during deer season.
“I thought we could tie him down in the deer sled,” Rascal said.
“Won’t the deer sled get torn up on the highway?” Finn asked.
“If we head over one street, there’s only Bremerton land between here and our compound. I called Jake and told him we had a little situation. He was more than happy for us to drive across his land,” Rascal said.
“I want to help drive,” Gunner said.
Rascal shook his head. “It’s your right to drive. Lead the way.”
Gunner started the side-by-side while Finn and Ben tied Maynard down. Flick jumped into the front seat and Brody in the back. Gunner gunned the side-by-side. As he drove over the hills and maybe a couple cacti, the screams of bad daddy in the back were music to his ears.
It was almost anticlimactic when he pulled the vehicle into the parking lot of the gym. Maynard was begging to sign the papers.
Maybe a better man would have let Maynard sign the papers and be on his way, but Maynard had threatened his own children. Gunner had the guys hold Maynard so he could talk with him first.
“I want to make sure that you understand what’s going to happen.
You’ve signed everything. Now, you’re going to leave and never try to contact the kids or Rachel again.
I don’t care if you are down to your last penny and you think maybe the kids will help you.
Don’t come near them. I’m giving you a gift,” Gunner said.
“A gift, like money,” Maynard blubbered.
“No, like a gift that I’m letting you live.
A man who threatens his son that if the son says something, the man will kill his own daughter and wife deserves to die.
You’re getting to live. That’s your gift,” Gunner said, following his words with some satisfying hits to Maynard’s face and belly.
He wished he could have hit him a little more, but Maynard collapsed to the floor, crying and begging for them to stop.
“I don’t care if anyone else wants to get some hits in. When you’re done, I want him taken to the bus stop in Dodge City. Buy him a ticket to the farthest stop on the line,” Gunner opened his wallet and handed Finn eight hundreds.
“Whatever’s left after you buy the ticket, he can have but I want you to watch him get on the bus and watch it pull out of the terminal, got it?” Gunner asked.
“We’ll take care of it,” Finn and Ben answered in unison.
That twin thing was freaky sometimes.
“Then I’m heading home to the woman I plan on asking to marry me and be my Old Lady tomorrow,” Gunner said, heading out of the gym.
One door closed and another was opening for them. Marcus and Chelle would be his to raise with Rachel. He walked toward the house. The gym was only about a seven-minute walk across the compound. He’d use the time to think about how he wanted to propose tomorrow.
He stared at the dark sky with the stars glittering. He had everything he ever wanted. His step was a little lighter as he walked toward home. His home with Rachel, Marcus, and Chelle. Now that they would be a family, maybe the kids needed one or two animals to celebrate.