Page 37 of Trick or Treat

“Well, it would seem she didn’t like seeing us together at Crooked Dick’s Friday night.”

After he’d spent the night Friday night, he’d pretty much hung out with her all weekend, only leaving long enough to go by his place for a change of clothes. It had been wonderful. She really enjoyed spending time with him and not just the time they spent having sex. She loved hearing stories about his kids and his club brothers. She loved hearing stories about Trick and his brother, Owen, growing up. And the stories about Jackson and his wife. He’d fixed a leaky faucet in her kitchen without her even asking. She’d told herself not to get attached. Not to develop feelings for him, and what did she do? She started getting feelings for him. She was going to miss spending time with him.

“Swear to God, Linds, if you don’t spit it out, I’m gonna spank that sexy ass of yours.”

“She called my boss today and told him I was having sex with her husband. He called me into his office to tell me about it.” She looked around her classroom, but couldn’t see clearly through the tears threatening to fall.

“What did he say?” Trick’s voice had gotten deadly serious at the news his wife had called her boss. “She wanted your job, didn’t she?”

“Yes, she was wanting me fired, but my boss told her I would never sleep with a married man.” She grabbed a tissue and dabbed at her eyes, refusing to cry. “He asked me why she would say something like that and I told him that the two of you were going through a bitter custody battle and she was trying to ruin your case.”

“Fuck, I’m sorry, babe. Want me to call your boss and back up your story?”

“No. That’s okay. He’s got my back, but he said if she takes it higher and makes a big enough fuss, my job could be in question.” She sniffled once. “Trick…”

“Here it comes.”

“What?”

“Here comes the part where you tell me my ex-wife is gonna win. You’re gonna quit seeing me because you can’t risk losing your job,” he replied, having already figured it out without her having to say it. She didn’t know if that made things better or worse. All she knew was it hurt either way.

“I’m sorry, but I think it’s best if we don’t see each other anymore. At least until you get things straightened out with your custody issues.” The bell rang and she was late getting her kids picked up from art class. “I’m sorry. I—” The sound of the line going dead told her he’d already hung up. He didn’t want to hear her sad excuse of a sorry. He was done with her.

Shit. She needed to pick up her kids and the last thing they needed to see was her crying.

9

The mood in the truck was somber and quiet as Race drove away from the cemetery and back to the Black Horsemen’s clubhouse. Since the BHMC was a support club of the Sons, they’d come to show their respects.

Another death so soon after their previous losses was quite the blow to the Horsemen. First, they lost their former president, Chance’s father, and three other members. It had been one of those freak accidents where the driver of a dump truck had a heart attack, stomped on the gas and plowed right through them.

Today the Horsemen had buried a brother by the name of Roundman. They said he had battled lung cancer for several months and was finally at peace. What made it even sadder was that he had been one of the original Horsemen to start the club and the oldest. His experience and insight would be greatly missed. Chance was going to need to build their numbers as soon as they got past this latest hurdle.

To honor their brother, everyone was headed back to celebrate his life the best way they knew how—booze, babes and stories about some of his finer and not so finer moments with the club. From the little Trick had heard already, the man had led a full life, leaving behind an old lady, two sons and five grandchildren. The way he saw it, the man had been blessed.

Today’s trip was going to be a quick one considering Thanksgiving was in two days. They would stay tonight and head out tomorrow in plenty of time for him to pick his kids up from school.

In the front seat of Race’s truck, Jed was debating the merits of buying a house versus staying in an apartment. Race and Jackson chimed in with pros and cons for Jed to think about. House or apartment, Trick didn’t care either way. As long as the man had somewhere to sleep and hang his clothes, what did it matter? It wasn’t like the guy had an old lady or any children.

As they continued their debate, his thoughts drifted again to wondering what Lindsey would be doing for the holiday. Would she spend it with her parents? Her friends? Surely she wouldn’t be spending it alone? He’d like to think she’d be spending it with him and his kids if his ex-wife hadn’t fucked everything up. The crazy bitch. Michelle didn’t want him but she didn’t want anyone else to have him. She wanted him to be alone and miserable like her.

It had been almost a month since the last time he’d talked to her or seen her. They’d just spent the whole weekend fucking like rabbits and he was all set to head back to her house after she got off work when she called him and told him what happened. That’s when she’d ended things with him. Not that they’d had much of a chance to really get things started.

She’d told him before it was her dream job and he understood she couldn’t risk it. It also pissed him off that she didn’t even consider riding out the storm with him. He thought she felt the same connection he felt, but the way she dropped him so quickly, he wondered if he’d been wrong.

After he’d gotten off the phone with Lindsey, he’d been furious and had gone straight to Michelle’s. He sat in his truck, called her phone and told her to get her ass outside. He wasn’t willing to air their dirty laundry for the neighbors to hear and he didn’t want his kids to listen to their parents argue.

She didn’t make him wait long. She came storming across the yard, raring for a fight. She yanked the door open, jumped into the seat and slammed the door. She opened her mouth to spew something hateful, he was sure, but he cut her off.

“Shut the fuck up,” he’d growled before she could get started. “I’m not here to argue with you. I’m here to tell you that you crossed a line. I don’t tell you who you can date or hook up with or whatever the hell you do. All I ask is that you don’t bring that shit home around the kids. You had no business calling the school and trying to get Lindsey fired.”

“Oh, so it’s Lindsey now? How long have you been fucking our son’s teacher?” Michelle sneered.

“That is none of your God damn business.” This whole thing, trying to get Lindsey fired, was because Michelle was jealous.

“So you can tell me who I can and can’t see but I’m not allowed to do the same to you?” She twisted in the seat to face him, her hands fisted in her lap.

“We both know the kind of men you’ve been seeing and the kind of woman Lindsey is are nothing alike. When you find a nice, respectable man that treats you like a lady and not just a one-night stand, I’ll be more than happy to have him meet our kids.” She stared at him like she thought he lost his mind. “That’s all I ever wanted for you. Contrary to what you think, I only want you to be happy and find someone who will love you and our kids, and you’re not going to find him at a bar while you’re drunk off your ass. If you want someone to respect you, you have to respect yourself first. Is that really so hard to understand?”

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