“Maybe I can come and stay with you in Flagstaff?”
She responds to Ace’s request with a broad smile. “I’d love that.”
Jesus no.I’m not letting him out of my sight until I know a fuck ton more about her.
I’m called Freak because I have a tendency to lose my temper, and, well, freak out. Never around Ace, somehow I’ve got control around him. But now I deserve a prize for being able to bite my tongue and just say reasonably, “Maybe in time, but, Ace, you and your aunt have got to get to know each other properly, before you commit to spending vacations together.”
She earns points with me as she backs me up. “Your dad is just being sensible. You might hate me when you get to know me. I’ve never been around a teenager before. I’m just flying by the seat of my pants. Let’s take this slowly.”
“I’m not a kid. I’m almost sixteen.”
She focuses on me as she rolls her eyes, and again, she goes up in my estimation. Yeah, at his age, he’s on the verge of becoming an adult, but, and especially in his case, not the experience or wit that goes with it.
It reminds me that, if she’s going to foster a relationship with him, I’ll have to explain about his autism, and that while he’s intelligent as fuck, his common sense can be severely lacking.
Not wanting to continue this conversation standing in the coffee house parking lot, I go to the Softail, collect our helmets, and returning, hand Ace’s to him. “We’re on the bike,” I say, though it’s obvious. “Clubhouse isn’t far. You can follow us.”
“Sure.” She seems to anticipate that Ace is going to ask to go in her car, and, cutting him off at the pass, tells him, “I’ll be right behind you, Ace. I hope you’ll be able to show me around and introduce me to everyone.” She bumps her hip against his as though they’re already confidants. “I’ve never been anywhere like this before. You’ll have to tell me how to behave.”
Ace, of course, takes the suggestion literally. “You can’t touch anyone’s bike, nor their cuts…”
Gently, I cuff him around his head. “Time for that later. For now, let’s just get there, alright?”
Giving a little finger wave, she turns and unlocks the car. Then she slides into the driver’s seat and closes the door. With no other option, Ace all but drags me to the bike.
As I mount up, then wait for him to slide on behind me, in an enthusiastic tone, he asks, “She’s great, isn’t she, Dad? Is she like my mom? Does she remind you of her?”
I give him just one thing before I start the engine, and the inevitable roar which will make further conversation difficult. “She’s different.”
Knowing that will only raise more questions later, I tap the bike down into gear and, once rolling, swing out onto the road.
Sheisdifferent, yet she looks exactly the same. I’d fallen in lust with Josie the first time I’d seen her, and the sex was good enough to go back. So good, I’d decided in my naïve mind that I wanted that on tap.
I’ve had the same reaction to Antoinette, a feeling I wouldn’t be disappointed if I got her into my bed. Yet, I’m no longer the soldier who lives life on the edge, even though some might say my current occupation is just as dangerous. I’m more mature and know it will take more than a pretty face and sexy body to hold my interest.
Given all that, I have to say she’s impressed me today. I never fell in love with Josie, and didn’t keep her around for her intellect. But Antoinette? Toni as she prefers to be called. She’s shown herself to be more perceptive than her sister, and right now, I don’t want to admit I find that as compelling as that body that’s hidden in the trappings of a librarian.
As I approach the gates, they open automatically, courtesy of one of the upgrades to our security that Genie had installed, a remote device attached to my bike. I stop parallel to the reinforced steel to keep them from closing, wave her through, and then proceed inside. I back my bike into the parking spot, and Ace jumps off. I watch as he runs to her. She winds downher window, obviously asking where she should pull up, and he directs her to a space off to one side, and out of the way of our rides.
Then, once she’s parked and out of her car, he again takes her hand and starts tugging her forward. She halts beside me as I dismount.
“This,” she waves her hand around airily, “wasn’t what I was expecting.” Our clubhouse is an old two-storey farmhouse, complete with a veranda that stretches the length of the front. After the attack by the Mojave Devils MC half a year back, we’d had to replace all the glass in the windows, and had taken the opportunity to refresh the paintwork and do the place up. “It’s smaller, though, I imagined all your club living here.”
“Some of us live in the main house. Officers’ rooms are up there.” I jerk my hand upward to indicate the second floor. “But we have a bunkhouse where most of the members reside.” As I point off to the side, her eyes follow, and she nods as she spies the large, newly constructed barn. “We’ve got a lot of land. Saint, our VP, has recently moved into his house, which he built behind the clubhouse, and the ground’s just been broken on Short’s. I reckon, in time, most of us will have our own places here.”
As she looks around her, I reckon she’s eyeing the steel eight-foot-high fencing that borders our whole plot. “Are you going to build here yourself? It looks like you’ve got good security.” She looks down fondly at my son. “That would be great for him.”
Another notch on the good side of the notes I’m mentally taking. “Yeah, I’ve been thinking about it.” Actually, I’ve already picked out a plot, but I’ve yet to draw up plans. “My ma gave us a roof over our heads fourteen years back. I reckon she might like some space to herself. Or…” I’m half talking to myself. “She could move here along with us.” Though fuck knows how the brothers would take to her. She’s likely to pull a gun on them for looking at her wrong. Maybe that’s an idea that needs shelving.
Ace is shifting from foot to foot impatiently. I wave him forward. “Let’s get inside and out of the heat.”
She wipes sweat off her forehead. “I’m certainly not used to it. Sure is hotter here than Flagstaff.”
Ace leads the way, and we fall in step behind him. I even find the gentlemanly side of me, that I’d thought long buried, emerging as I place my hand to the small of her back and guide her into the blissful air-conditioned interior. Despite the windows, the clubroom appears dark, and we all take a moment to accustom our eyes.
It’s late afternoon. I’d taken the chance that the club girls wouldn’t be servicing anyone out in the open, and anyway, there aren’t too many brothers around. Those working at the auto shop or gun range will be there for at least another hour, and Words would still be at the funeral home. I’m not surprised it’s only Stalker and Paint who are sitting by the bar, as, like me, they won’t be heading to the strip club for another few hours. And, oh fuck, there’s Rattler. I’d forgotten he’d also be around. It will be baptism by fire as far as he’s concerned.
Might as well get this over with.“Want a drink?” I ask her.
