Page 35 of Hanging Horseshoes
“Dear Jesus.” Trip whispers as I quickly park the truck and we hop out. Making our way to the scene of fucking course theres already a shit tone of cops crawling all over the place. Luckily, half of these fuckers are on our payroll. Some for good reasons. The ones that believe sometimes justice and the badge don't cut it so they look the other way in those cases. Some because their greedy, money hungry, pigs. We keep those just close enough to dry up.
I give a head nod to one I know well, “Officer Carter,” he’s one of the good ones. He gave us a heads up of a child rapist getting away due to a technicality about three years ago. We had absolutely no fucking problem taking care of that peace of gutter trash. Pieces of him are probably still rotting there.
I stop dead when I see the massacre. You can’t even fucking tell what kind of car she was diving. The windows in the shop fronts halfway down the block are blown to shit but what has my knees bucking is the sight two steps in front of me. A piece of a car seat sits in the road. Thank fuck Trip’s right next to me because he catches me as I nearly fall to the ground on my knees.
“Rodeo, Trip. Come on you all don’t need to see this shit. You two back to the clubhouse.” I’m about to start arguing at Grim's words when his next sentence stops me dead, “Grease had a stroke of luck as they were circling back around town. That Leroy fucker was waiting right there for us like a present from the heavens. Stupid fucker wasnt even trying to hide, he was trying to catch a bus.”
My feet are pounding the pavement as I make my way to my truck and my tires squeal out of town. I’m on a mission to get my hands on this fucker and I won’t let anything get in my way, even pavement.
“If I wasn't so ready to get my hands on this fucker too, I’d kick your ass out for treating a perfectly good set of Goodyears this hard.” Trip jokes and I know he’s trying to distract both of us. Luckily, with my speed and every cop in town being at the incident in town, we get back to the compound in record time. I barley throw my truck into park before I’m hoping out and heading toward the compound.
“First shed brother.” Grease says pulling the toothpick out of his mouth and straightening from where he was leaning on the wall. I instantly turn from the front door and head around to the back shed. I see the guys carrying the fucker in. He has a bloody nose and swollen eye but he still manages to lift his head and stare right at me.
“Oh Beau, how nice it is to see you againbrother.” He smiles maniacally at me. I don't reply, I don't slow down, I raise my fist, pull my arm back, and rush right at his, my fist goes through his face as he falls to the ground.
“I don't think we’ll get answers from him that way.” Grease says.
“SHUT THE FUCK UP GREASE!” Every single man standing around yells out.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Ophelia
It didn't take me long to realize I acted way too rashly when I ran. I should have been going back to the clubhouse, the women, my men. That’s where I’m safest. I know that now but by the time my mind stopped yelling to run, run, run, I was way too far gone. I bought a bus ticket to somewhere in Mississippi. I’m not even sure what the name of the town is.
“It’s ok baby girl. Mama just had a little hiccup. I’ll get you back home safely. I promise.” I tell Mable. I feel a knee go into my back from the seat behind me. I almost turn around to see who it is but decide its probably best if I keep my head down.
I start turning back around to face forward but look at the ground and at the foot of the woman sitting behind me. Huh, those shoes look familiar but for the life of me I can’t remember where… and now I look like a weirdo staring at some strangers foot like a million people don't have the same shoes.
Turning back to Mable I rock her while humming softly. When we get to wherever this bus ends I need to go shopping to get some basic necessities. I’ll use my credit card Trip gave me. Halle mentioned one time you can be tracked by your purchases if you use the card. I’ll find a hotel room and call the girls after I get the supplies but maybe they are already looking and that will give them a head start.
I really want to be home. I’ve never had a safe place in my life and just when I finally do I up and run, probably ruining it. I hope Trip and Beau aren't too worried or worse mad. I know they would never in a million years hurt me or cause many any pain if they could help it but this one is on me and any pain I feel I deserve for not putting my trust and faith into them. For running from instead of to them when they’ve been showing me for months now I’m safe and loved in their arms. It’s the disappointment from them I’m not equipped with dealing with. Me and Mable both and I have no doubt my strong and smart beautiful baby girl would have run right too them. I however should have realized my anxiety and panic was making me rash.
I lay my head back on the seat and close my eyes as I hold my baby girl close. Images of my happily ever after, my guys, my family, the whole club, they all flash behind my eyelids.
I see Mable a couple years older on the back of her very first horse. Trip and Beau leaning and sitting on the fence shirts unbutton, chest sweaty, but still covering those gorgeous shoulders from the sun, Black cowboy hat on Trip’s head while Beau’s is pure white with a thick leather strap around the base. Mable laughing and waving.
“Look Mommy, I’m doing it all by myself.”
“Good Job baby girl,” I yell out rubbing my hand over my swollen belly.
Another few years down the road and I watch as Trip stands on one side of Mable and Beau on the other as they walk her down the aisle on her wedding day. Another flash forward to Me, Beau, and Trip, sitting in rocking chairs and as I look down I see a baby in my arms,
‘she looks just like you did on the day you were born, sweetheart.” I tell Mable, cupping her cheek as tears of joy roll down my eyes.
I lift my hand to my cheek and feel the wetness and try to discreetly wipe it off as I look around the full bus to make sure no one else sees my breakdown.
“Don’t you worry baby girl. I’ll get us back home. I won’t rob you of the life you were destined to have. The happiness I see coming for us. This is just the beginning and I will fight my way back to them if I have to.” I whisper to the top of her head as she sleeps soundlessly against my chest.
It takes us four more hours to get to the destination and the town we are dropped off in has to be the smallest I’ve ever seen. We did not pass anything on the way in and there was only one redlight, a diner, a small old school drug store, and a motel. The motel definitely didn't look the greatest but hopefully we won’t be there too long.
After hopping off carry Mable to the drug store and grab wipes, pullups since we’re traveling, and some food and snacks before going up to the counter. Theres a tingling going down my spine but I chalk it up to just my nerves from the events form the days and make my purchases.
The cashier looks at me like I’m crazy when I ask, “I want to ring these all up separately but charge them to the same card.”
He rolls his eyes and mutters, “tourist.” but does as I ask. Next I head to the motel and check in, once again using the card and hoping upon hope its getting back to my men. The bored looking man behind the counter gives me the key to the room barley looking up from the very, exposing, magazine hes currently invested in.
I waist no time getting to the room and locking the door. There's no chain which sucks but at least there's a working lock. I pull back the covers on the bed checking for anything too gross before pulling them back into place and setting Mable down. I give her one of the bags of puffs I got her to snack on as well as an apple juice before I turn around and sit by the phone on the table beside the bed.