How’d that come about? Well, the Sons had us over a barrel. They done shot Scar in the shoulder and in the leg and planned to kill him where he laid unless we agreed and took Snakebite with us. Out in California, we couldn’t find the baby. When we confronted Snakebite, he had an answer for everything. A little too innocent, if you ask me. Nevertheless, Jessy and Teeth did both come from the Sons of Satan MC. They had been sent to us as spies. Snakebite knew more about them than we ever cared to. In the end, it’d been the General that would’ve made it his business to know their business. I hoped Scar had been taking notes, since he was filling those shit kickers, now.
Since Halley was coming, I booked her and I our own room. It’d only been a little over a week, but I missed her something awful. And I worried about how she’d been holding up. The girl had seemed unbreakable. She’d been through so much but still found the will to smile and find enjoyment in life. She was stronger than I’d ever been.
Losing the baby had torn me up. Feeling to blame, I felt like a failure for the first time in a long time. Feeling like you failed someone you love does something to a man. It made me break a promise to Halley. I went way more than a day without speaking to her.
Ultimately, I’d been the one who had the idea to leave the little guy with Jessy Bell and Teeth in the first place. Halley had had her doubts. If I were her, I’d hate me for it. Selfish, I’d been dying to have a night completely alone with her. A night to get wild.
Speaking of getting wild, a whole gaggle of whores rolled up in several vintage cars. My brothers sure found ways to keep themselves occupied while we’d laid low. Even the Sons stepped out onto the balcony. Seems we weren’t just joining forces to look for the baby. Several of the devils joined my brothers and the women to look at the nice cars. Then some of them disappeared into various rooms, together. Others were drinking in the parking lot, shooting the shit with the women. All but Snakebite who’d stepped out of his room and lit a smoke.
He had his own room, being top dog and all. I didn’t see him mix with his men, and from the look of disapproval on his face, he sure as hell wasn’t mixing with us.
Supposed to be leading this crew, I started to go put a stop to it. Then I thought better of it. What easier way to make sure all of Snakebite’s men were out of my hair when Halley arrived than to just let them be? Let them have agood time with my brothers. I wanted them out of my hair for a bit, too.
As soon as Snakebite noticed I’d spotted him, he slithered back into his room. Fuck, I hadn’t wanted him to know Halley was coming. Now, he’d probably be peeking out the window when she rolled up. I thought about walking down the road a bit to flag her down but heard the roar of a motorcycle coming. I stood up, threw down my smoke and stamped it out. I straightened my hat and tucked in my shirt, anticipating seeing her any moment.
Damn, she was a sight for sore eyes. Although, anger ran through me when I saw she hadn’t even worn a brain bucket, her windblown short hair and dirty face couldn’t hide her beauty. Dismounting the bike, she wobbled. She’d practically rode straight through since it’d been only about twenty-four hours since she’d said she was coming. So, when I went to kiss her, and she didn’t oblige, I wasn’t offended.
Halley about collapsed against me. Her arms circling me gave me a comfort I hadn’t felt in over a week. She needed to lie down. I picked her up newlywed style and carried her to our room.
After she rested a spell, I told her, “You better call your brother.” Scar had been blowing up my phone so much I wish I hadn’t finally given him the number. She called him then wanted to know everything. She sat across from me on the other bed. Her hands shook, and her voice cracked as she asked me a million questions. Some I didn’t have an answer to and some I didn’t want to tell her.
“If you all think Jessy and Teeth are behind this, what do they want with him?”
“We’re not sure,” I lied. It’d be nice to think the couple just wanted a baby, but the way Snakebite talked, he thought they’d sell the child on the black market if we didn’t find him.
Even without knowing the worst of it, her eyes watered until they overflowed. I suggested she go take a shower while I ordered her some dinner.
“Don’t bother. I can’t eat. I can’t sleep until I pass out then I can’t get out of the bed for a day. You think I’m dirty from the ride.” She laughed. “I’ve not bathed in a week.”
“Let me help you,” I suggested, taking her arm.
“No,” she hollered. “I’ll do it myself. Why don’t you go join your brothers. Don’t think I didn’t see that while my baby is missing, your crew is having a high ol’ time with a bunch of hookers.”
As I tried to explain, Halley stomped her way to the bathroom. She locked herself inside. I banged on the door and thought of busting it in. “Halley, you know I’m not with any whores,” I shouted through the door. “We’ve been looking. The boys are just blowing off steam.”
She never answered.
In the end, I backed off. I’d give her time.
What a mistake.
Halley
When I made it to Reno, to Cowboy, I collapsed. He scooped me up and carried me to his room, but before we made it there, we were stopped. Two drunken women each wearing spiked heels and not much else looked Cowboy up and down. The strong odor of liquor rolled off them and I noticed Cowboy smelled the same and like smoke. He didn’t smoke.
“Is this where the party’s at?” The one in the aqua halter top asked us.
Cowboy told them where to find his boys.
Inside, I couldn’t help but close my eyes. After I’d gotten some rest and we talked about how they hadn’t found my baby, I had a bad feeling. I felt Cowboy was keeping things from me. Only a feeling, I tried to ignore it. He hadn’t kept his promise. He smelled like those whores.I couldn’t believe his men were partying instead of out looking for my baby. Therefore, when he said I should go shower, I snapped at him.
Inside the crummy bathroom, I ran a bath. The lousy tub had a ring and the body wash and shampoo were lacking, but I’d had worse. I washed every inch of me then I used the shower to rinse off. I wrapped myself in the paper thin, scratchy towel and twisted my hair up in a smaller one. Most nice hotels have robes, so I knew I wouldn’t find one here. I hadn’t even thought to pack a change of clothes. When I stepped out of the bathroom, Cowboy was gone.
I looked all around.
Serpentine sat in the corner with his feet propped up. “How are you enjoying your freedom, Star?”
I started to say, “What the hell?” But understood I was dreaming. Having a nightmare more like it. LuAnn stepped into the picture holding my baby. “Look at this little Rattler,” she said. “We’re grandparents, sort of.” She looked back at Serpentine, forgiving him for fathering my child, like she always did.
