Page 34 of In It for the Long Ride

We’d told no one our secret.

I didn’t know how.

When I finally met his eyes, he slid his palm along my cheek and tears stung my eyes.

“I’m going to make this right,” he confidently whispered, as I fought to hold it together.

I nodded and closed my eyes before I ended up crying again. I wanted to believe him. I needed some type of hope that all of this would be over someday and that we would all be able to recover from it and move on with our lives.

Chapter 14

Montana

I stoodunder the shower until my skin was just a few shades away from lobster and the water had run cold. I ran my hands down the length of my hair and squeezed out the excess water. I was too old for this shit, I told myself for the hundredth time as I threw the door open, grabbed a towel and started to dry off.

Enough had been said in this damn condo. None of them were thinking clearly. I huffed and stepped into my underwear. A gentle knock sounded on the other side of the door just as I pulled my jeans on. I reached over and flipped the lock, not really caring who it was. The door opened a crack and Oak’s eyes met mine in the mirror.

“We shoul—”

“Get the fuck in here.” I spoke over him and turned the faucet on with a jerk of the knob, hoping the water would muffle anything we might briefly discuss.

He didn’t give me any lip; he pushed the door open to capacity and turned sideways to squeeze his massive frame past me when I didn’t budge. I was too busy giving him the crazy eye to be bothered. I snapped the lock on the door, jerked my head back to face him and started hissing.

“This is a Goddamn Federal fucking building, Oakland. Are you out of your mind giving us this address?”

“Wha–?” he stammered, and if he wasn’t so damn tall, I’dda probably clipped his ear like my brother used to when he was a kid to make him spit it out.

He seemed to know just what I was thinking, ‘cause he brought that big hand of his up and rubbed at his ear.

“Where was I supposed to invite ya’ll?” Oak quietly offered his rebuttal in that familiar Georgia drawl.

“Wha–? A fucking flea-bag motel, son! Something with whores on the balcony and a couple nitwits pushing dime bags on the corner for all I give a fuck. Anything…” I huffed, “Just– Not a fucking police station!”

He swallowed hard and nodded, “It isn’t wired, I checked.”

When I didn’t stop staring at him in that wild way, he rubbed the back of his neck and gave a hesitant nod, “You’re right.”

Someone drummed on the door with their fingertips, scratching in a way that made me think it was a woman, so I opened the door a little more patiently than I had with him. When I saw Easy’s goofy ass standing there I grunted dismissively.

“Go somewhere. Not here. Outside. Not the garage… Call Mak. Get him up here.”

“I thought you didn’t want–”

“I don’t. I want my fucking bike. You want to take that grocery getter around? It’s a death trap, the three of us in that thing. If we’re going to make moves and handle this shit, we need them. Have him and a flock of prospects run ‘em up in a U-Haul for all I give a shit, just get them here.”

He nodded and took off without a word. I shut the door and looked back at Oak.

“Tell me…” he whispered.

I sucked my teeth and stared at my reflection in the mirror. The smile lines at the edges of my eyes looked more pronouncedsuddenly, it didn’t take a specialist to tell I was stressed to the max.

“This is a perfect storm, Oak.” I turned the other knob of the water so it ran at full capacity. “The mob… the club… the law.”

He flinched and sat down on the toilet stool.

“You think this is the one that’s gonna tangle us?”

I kept my gaze anchored on him in the mirror and nodded, “I’m past thinking. I’m certain it already has, Oak.”

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