8
The next dayChase parked his truck in the driveway of the Antebellum Resistance meeting house-slash-headquarters and hopped out. As always, his stepfather was someone he tolerated because one, he was used to the man’s behavior and two because he had no other choice right now. If Chase had his way, he’d still be across town with his girl instead of having cigarette smoke blown his way.
And of course, in the blink of an eye, his mind was redirected to thoughts of Larke. He hoped she’d found the note he’d left for her this morning. He’d only been away from her for a couple of hours and already he was wishing to be next to her again.
Sometime during the middle of the night, Larke had rolled to the side of the bed he’d slept on. He’d known she was still fast asleep and had no idea what she was doing. If she had…
Drawing in a harsh breath, Chase turned the knob on the door to AR’s main office, while recalling the way Larke had flung her thigh across him, nearly straddling his hips. If any other female had done that while in bed with him, he would’ve taken it as an invitation to thrust his dick so deep inside, giving them both what they wanted. At least the females he knew would’ve wanted it that way, and even expected it of him. Fast and hard. No drawn-out lovemaking.
As for Larke being so close to him... The only thing Chase had been able to do was to lie there, damn near breaking out in a sweat restraining himself. To get rid of his raging erection, he’d forced himself to think about so many things. All sorts of fucked up images—anything to make his cock soften before she awoke and realized how sick he was; wanting to fuck her while she slept. He’d even gone so far as to think about that damn reporter he’d witnessed his grandfather kill in cold blood. The sound of Trevor’s laughter as the body hit the floor.“That ain’t a sound you hear every day, son.”
That memory, twisted at it was, had relieved him of any desire for sex. Thoughts of Larke, the things he’d heard and witnessed from childhood until now, coupled with everyone’s expectations of him, caused Chase to lie in bed with his arm around her soft waist, seeking calm from the one person who could give it.
When morning arrived and Larke was fast asleep, he’d forced himself to climb out of the bed, however. He hadn’t wanted to crowd her space or make her feel awkward in the morning with him still there.
On the way inside the building, Chase muttered a curse as he caught sight of McNair talking to John Delway, another member he’d grown up with. The two men grew quiet as he walked by. Chase narrowed his gaze at McNair, still pissed about the incident in the bar. Didn’t matter if his thinking was hypocritical and unfair, or that the two of them had been raised with the same teachings.
“Hey Hudson,” McNair called out, after catching up to him. “I saw you turn onto Glencove Boulevard last night. What’s up, man? Did you go over to the dark side to start some shit?”
Delway snickered beside them at the idea of Chase visiting the predominately black and Hispanic area. Of course, the idiot would find it funny. His father thought all sorts of crime was funny and was, in fact, serving a fifteen-year prison term for robbing a convenience store and beating the Muslim owner.
Chase cocked his head and grinned. He’d seen McNair’s car not too far behind his as he’d turned off in the direction of Larke’s apartment building. Chase thought about asking the man if he’d been on a late run to Spicy n’ Fine Taco Restaurant, where he’d seen McNair’s car parked a couple of weeks ago. He thought better of it, for now. Wasn’t like the asshole would admit to it anyway.
“Awe,” Chase groaned, planting a look of exaggerated sympathy on his face. “Were you up all night crying cause I made you feel left out? Did you wanna tag along?”
“Hmm. Funny, man. Real funny.”
Chase stared at him, smirking as McNair’s finger scratched the bump on his off-centered nose, snorted then walked away. Chase watched him go. The man was all talk, and Chase had proven that after their one and only encounter as teenagers. McNair had cracked jokes and taunted him in front of others, doling out reasons why his mother had taken off, leaving him behind. Before McNair knew what had hit him, Chase had him pinned to the ground, pummeling his face until the other teen was screaming with a broken nose and bleeding all over the ground. It had taken two older AR members to tear Chase off him.
He continued down the hallway inside the building and entered Trevor’s office. The stench of cigarette smoke hit his nostrils. Typical. Although it had only been a week since he last saw his stepfather, Chase was shocked to see the older man’s thinner appearance. He hadn’t lost a ton of weight but the few pounds he’d lost was very noticeable. His hair, which was slicked back into a long ponytail, seemed lankier than usual. Chase shrugged. It was anyone’s guess what Trevor was smoking, snorting or even injecting in addition to his nicotine addiction.
“Just the man I wanted to see,” Trevor said, swiveling side to side in his chair. “Everything went fine like I said it would?”
“Yep,” Chase answered. The trip to Jacksonville had gone uneventful, as well as getting the liquor into the right hands on the ship.Last time.Chase gritted his teeth while eyeing the older man. “So, what’s up? I’m guessing you didn’t want to meet with me to talk about the trip.”
Trevor laughed, the sound came out as ugly as a knife scraping against glass. “Right you are. We need to talk business. But first…” Trevor popped open a new package of cigarette. “Want one?”
Chase shook his head. “Nope. You keep offering, but nothing’s change. I don’t smoke.”
“Sorry.” Trevor let out a breath. “I tell you what. You’re right not to smoke this shit. It kills. Trust me.”
Chase raised his brows. Was he trying to tell him something important? Maybe the sudden weight loss, the cough that sounded like he was about to vomit up a lung were signs of illness. Chase gave a mental shrug. “You okay?”
“Truth?” Trevor blew smoke out the side of his mouth. He kicked one leg up on the table. “I’m dying. Docs are telling me I only have a couple of months left.” He snorted and chuckled low. “What the fuck do they know, right?”
Chase stared blankly at the only man he’d known as a father. He’d never felt love for Trevor and doubted his stepdad felt any for him. But damn, he should feel something. Sadness. Pity. This was a person he’d known since he was three years old. Chase gave himself a few seconds to muster up emotion. Nothing. He forced a note of concern into his voice. “Is it cancer?”
Trevor nodded. “Lungs are covered with tumors.”
“What about chemo?” Chase asked, with genuine interest.
“Won’t help. I already asked. Cancer’s spread too far.” Trevor ground the butt of the cigarette in the ashtray. “We’re soldiers, right? Coming from a long line of genetically superior beings. I’m just a number, man. One of many. I ain’t afraid of death so long as I know what we’re doing here will continue––making the good ol’ U.S of A as it should be. Like our ancestors wanted it to be before those yanks stuck their noses in where it never belonged. I’m heading to Heaven, boy. That sweet afterlife, reserved for our kind. Nothing tainted by goddamn Jews and their liberal multicultural media brainwashing. No siree. Ain’t no place in Heaven for––”
Chase growled in frustration, cutting off Trevor’s rant. “And while you’re in this non-Jew Heaven, what about AR? What happens now?”
“New leadership. I’m looking at it, ain’t I? Your great gramps was a direct descendant of one of the bravest soldiers that fought for the Confederacy. Your granddad Joe used his own money to buy up most of this land after that coal mine went out of business. He provided a place for those of us brave enough to step away from all the bullshit media telling us being around coloreds and immigrants is a good thing. That it’s cool. Fuck no. We both know I was always just a filler. It’s your time to step up, Chase. I know you’re loyal to seeing our people take control once again. That’s why we need you to take the helm and lead. Show those motherfuckers out there what real nationalism is about.”
Chase knew this was coming. Hell, hadn’t he been waiting on this for years? He schooled his features, not sure how to react. The only word his mind could form wasLarke.How loyal was he, if hours ago he’d been in bed with a girl who was everything he was supposed to hate?
