Defiant Dodge by Naomi Porter

4

Dodge

Friday had finally arrived. It had been the longest week of my life. Every day, I woke with a start, anxious for Storm to call church. Then the day would end, and nothing. No information about Emilee. Not a word about my son.

It was a maddening cycle.

If it wasn’t for working at the gun shop, training with Ire at the gym, and spending time with Maddy and Birdie, I’d have lost my mind. Tonight at the clubhouse, we were having a little gathering for Hero’s friend Ryder, who was released from jail yesterday.

They’ll be back soon. Just gotta be patient a little longer.

The entrance door rang when Hero and Ryder entered. The sergeant at arms made eye contact with me, his jaw tight. He was nervous about bringing the new prospect to the shop. Ryder was the dude he’d met in county last fall. Hero had taken him under his wing to help him get his life in order.

Storm thought it’d be good for Ryder to start working right away. It could be difficult for some to adjust after spending time behind bars. Ryder had been in for almost a year.

Hero jerked his chin. “Yo, all good here?”

“Yeah. How’s it going, Ryder?” We’d met yesterday when Hero brought him to the club and got him set up in a dorm room.

“Going all right.” Ryder scanned the room. “This is bigger than I thought.”

“Lots of floors and shelves to keep sparkling clean.” Hero elbowed him.

I snorted. “Yeah, the boss is a clean freak.”

Ryder smiled. “I learned that in the can. I’m okay with it though. After living on the streets, clean is good.”

Damn, I’d forgotten he was homeless before he was arrested. He’d almost beaten a dude to death. It was his first offense. All Ryder was trying to do was defend a girl the guy had attempted to sexually assault. Blind rage had taken over. Unfortunately, the victim had fled the scene. Ryder might’ve gotten a reduced sentence if she’d stayed around and given her statement.

Hero gripped the back of Ryder’s neck in a brotherly way. “No more living on the streets. You have a home and family now.”

They looked at each other, neither saying anything else.

It was an awkward moment. Feelings weren’t my thing. Last weekend at the party, I’d totally lost it. Madeline had later told me it needed to happen. She was right. I’d felt ten times better after releasing all that pent-up anger.

“I need to make some calls,” Hero told Ryder, then turned toward me. “Show him the checklist and where all the cleaning supplies are.” He pointed to the closet on his way to his office.

“Sure, boss.”

Ryder and I stood there staring at each other for a beat. I wasn’t a talkative person or good at making conversation. Getting slapped around for talking too much as a kid, I’d learned to keep my mouth shut—until Emilee came along. My sweet girl was the first person who put me at ease. She’d made me feel safe to speak my mind. Hell, she encouraged it.

“So…” Ryder looked around the shop. “Sell a lot of guns and ammo here?”

“We do okay.” The gun shop was more of a façade for the illegal shit the club partook in, the shit Storm wanted to get the club out of. It was what his uncle Matt had put in motion back when he was alive. With brothers getting married and having kids, it lit a fire under Prez to make the club legit.

“Cool. I’ve never shot a gun before.”

I jerked my chin for Ryder to follow. “On the compound, there’s a shooting range. Storm or Boxer will train you. They’re expert marksmen.” I opened the door to the utility closet behind the counter.

“Yeah, Hero told me they were marines. I thought Boxer wasn’t around.”

“He’s not. He and his wife are in Oregon on an extended honeymoon.” I grabbed the clipboard off the wall.

“Hero misses Boxer. I guess he helped him train for MMA fights. Do you think they’ll really come back? Hero’s skeptical after Ire was promoted to enforcer.”

I shrugged. “Don’t know. We all miss Box.”

I’d wondered if Boxer would quit the club after we voted Ire in as enforcer. Boxer hadn’t turned in his cut, but he hadn’t given Storm a return date either. Something about making up for lost time with Snow.

Maybe Prez was right when he said two enforcers were better than one.

“I wish I could’ve met him. He sounds cool.”

“He is.” I raised the clipboard, ready to be done with all the talking. “This is a list of your daily duties. Hero likes for everything to be finished by noon.”

Ryder glanced over it. “No problem.”

The bell rang when someone entered the shop. I went out to the counter to check it out.

“Hey, man.” Lynx jerked his chin as he leaned against the glass cabinet.

“Hey. Hero’s in his office.”

“Not here to see him, brother.”

Ryder came up beside me. “Lynx, right?”

“Abso-fucking-lutely.” Lynx extended his hand. “Ryder, it’s good to meet ya.”

“Yeah, you too.” Ryder studied him as they shook hands. “Treasurer, huh?”

“I like to play with money.” Lynx shot him a wry grin. “I also manage The Bullet.”

Ryder folded his arms on the counter. “I know the place. I used to go dumpster diving there after closing. You threw out good food, packaged stuff all the time. Not very financially wise, in my opinion.”

Fuck, that was plain sad. I’d had to fend for myself plenty when I lived with my mom, but I never had to dig in a trashcan for my meal.

“It’s my way of feeding the homeless.” Lynx clucked his tongue. “We have cameras in the alley. Knew you and others were looking for food.”

Damn, I had a new level of respect for Lynx.

Ryder perked up. “Really, you have cameras?”

Lynx nodded.

“Have you seen a girl with long black hair? I have no idea what she’d be wearing. The last time I saw her, she had on a red beanie hat and an army green jacket.”

Lynx furrowed his brow. “Sorry, man. She doesn’t sound familiar. All I’ve seen are old drunks.”

“Who’s the girl?” I asked.

Ryder scratched the back of his head. “A homeless chick I’d sort of met. Don’t know her name. Hell, never really talked to her. She had the prettiest brown doe-eyes I’d ever seen. She’s the reason I got locked up.”

“Oh shit,” I said, shock in my voice. “You think she’s still in the area?”

Ryder shrugged. “No idea. She might’ve moved on after the attack.”

“Well, if I see anyone who looks like her, I’ll let you know,” Lynx told Ryder.

“Thanks, I’d appreciate it. Just don’t approach her. She’s pretty skittish.” Ryder dropped his head, appearing sad.

“Will do.” Lynx turned toward me. “I came here to ask if you’d like to pick up some shifts at the bar. With Ire promoted to enforcer, I need someone to cover him when he can’t work.”

I grinned wide. “You want me to be a bouncer?”

“Yep, I do.” He gripped my bicep. “I think you’re plenty strong enough after all the bulk you’ve packed on over the last year.”

“Shit, brother. That’d be awesome. Anything to get me out of the clubhouse in the evenings.”

Lynx considered me. “Still having trouble with Misty?”

“Naw, I manage to avoid her after the incident in the kitchen.”

Ryder hiked an eyebrow. “What kind of incident?”

I ignored his question. “When do you want me to start?” I asked Lynx.

“Tomorrow at five.”

“I’ll be there.”

Lynx tapped the counter. “All right. You boys have a good day.” He strutted out of the building.

Boys? Freaking Lynx.

“He’s pretty cool too. Heck, I think all the guys are.” Ryder stared at the door.

“They are, for the most part.” I bit down on my back molars. Bitterness still pumped inside me, though I tried to get over how my brothers chose Justin over me. “Better get to work before Hero comes out of his office.” I needed some quiet. All this talking overwhelmed me.

When noon rolled around, Hero exited his office. He’d been locked in there for several hours. During that time, I had managed the front and directed Ryder in his cleaning.

“Church is Sunday night, brother.” He clapped me on the back. “Seven o’clock.”

“Really?” Hope bloomed in my chest. “Is it about Emilee?”

Hero pursed his lips together. “Sorry. Forgot you were waiting for Storm to call church about her. Not sure. He didn’t sound happy. That’s not a good sign.”

I exhaled a deep breath, dropping my head as I braced my hands on the counter. “When does Storm ever sound happy?”

Hero chuckled. “Never.”

“Fuck, I’m scared to hope I’ll ever get them back,” I muttered, mostly to myself, but apparently Hero had heard.

He put his hand on my back. “You’re gonna get them back. Just gotta be patient.”

“Get who back?” Ryder set the broom against the wall.

“His woman and baby,” Hero told him.

“Oh, shit. Someone took them from you?” Ryder sounded appalled. “I had no idea. What’s the club doing to get them back? Why are you here and not searching for them?”

I liked Ryder a little more. The dude sounded ready to wage war.

Hero raised his hands. “Calm down, man. It was the girl’s dad who took her away. He used to be the club’s secretary and an original council member.”

Ryder shrugged, narrowing his eyes. “So? Was the girl a minor?”

“No,” I answered. “She was forbidden.”

“Dodge betrayed her father,” Hero said. “In MCs, you don’t betray your brothers. It’s like the greatest sin. Dodge also got her pregnant.”

Ryder shook his head. “I understand being loyal, but that’s fucking wrong.”

Finally, another person saw the wrong in it.

Hero leaned against the counter. “I get it.”

“Do you?” Ryder furrowed his brow. “After what happened to your wife and kid? All the hell you went through after their deaths? You’re the last person I’d think would ever be okay with someone keeping a man from his woman and child.”

Holy shit. The young dude had a pair of steel balls. To call Hero out like that showed he was fearless and had strong convictions. He’d make a perfect addition to our KLMC family.

“Listen. Things are different in the MC life—”

Ryder waved him off. “Bullshit. If somebody took Roja, you’d unleash holy hell on them.”

Hero growled.

Speaking of Tara, the doorbell rang as the redhead entered. Lucky for Ryder. I had a feeling Hero might’ve given the guy a piece of his mind and maybe introduced him to ways of the MC with his fists. Hero took shit from nobody and told it like it was. But Ryder was new and had been through a lot. Hero was probably going easy on him, but it wouldn’t last.

“Hi, guys! I brought lunch.” Tara held up two bags.

“Roja… You are the best, baby.” Hero kissed her.

“Better believe it, big guy.” She set the bags on the counter. “I brought burgers and fries.”

I dug right into the bags to hand out food.

Ryder grinned, licking his lips. “I’m gonna need to work out after eating this high-calorie meal. I’ve been eating so much since getting out, I’m going to blow up into the Pillsbury Doughboy.”

I snorted to match his amused tone. But really, it was awful hearing how he’d been living on the streets. That could’ve been me if Uncle Raul hadn’t come for me when he had.

“Where’s your escort?” Hero peered out the front window. “Didn’t hear a motorcycle.” He arched a concerned brow. None of the old ladies went anywhere without a member or prospect. I sure as hell wouldn’t let Emilee go anywhere alone after she’d been taken by the nomad club last summer.

Tara rolled her eyes. “Storm’s out in the SUV with Maddy and Birdie. We’re just running errands. Hollywood is on his way to meet us.”

“Good. Maybe I should come with.” Hero returned to the counter, grabbed a handful of fries, and shoved them in his mouth.

“You could, but I thought you were showing Ryder the ropes today?” Tara snagged a fry and popped it into her mouth.

“I am. After we eat, I’m taking Ryder by the other businesses and showing him where the club’s territory extends to.” Hero took Tara’s hand. “I’ll walk you out.”

Tara waved at Ryder and me. “Have a good one.”

“Thanks for lunch,” we said at the same time.

“You betcha!”

The doorbell rang when they exited the shop.

“She’s great.” Ryder took a large bite of his burger. “All the old ladies are. I look forward to meeting your woman.”

I nodded, appreciating the certainty in his voice. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little worried about what Grizzly might find out.

Maybe my nerves were getting the best of me. I was desperate to get Emilee back and finally meet my son. Shit like that fueled all kinds of emotions in a person.

Fear was my leading emotion, fear of something happening to Emilee and my little man.