Page 2 of The MC's Surprise
“Final update,” Prez continued, ignoring the rumblings as people discussed who would be good sponsors for prospects. “I’ve got some information on our case against Maskery and the Silver City PD.”
The room went quiet and tension dialed up a few degrees. The issues we had with the local PD were long standing. They refused to acknowledge we were a legit crew who didn’t do illegal shit or cause trouble for our community. Last fall, a few of the officers decided to pin some shit on Butch in hopes of chasing us out of town. Prez stepped in and filed a harassment suit against them, as well as a bunch of other shit for what they did to Butch, but legal proceedings were always slow moving so not a lot had happened up until now.
“Please tell me those assholes aren’t getting away with the bullshit they pulled,” Buzz growled from somewhere behind me. His comment got a few rumbles of agreement, but they stalled out when Prez put his hand up to stall them.
“No one is getting away with harassing my crew. Until now, Maskery and a few of his buddies had been on administrative leave while the department’s internal affairs did an investigation. I’m happy to say they’ve been officially let go, and will no longer be a part of the police department. We’re still pushing for jail time and reparations for Butch, but I thought I’d let you know we’re headed in the right direction.”
A collective sigh of relief echoed through the room. I thought for sure after the years of harassment that they’d get away with what they’d done. Even with the damning evidence showing footage of Butch being framed, they were trying to make it look like it could’ve been anyone putting those drugs in his truck. Maybe the law was finally going to be on our side for once.
Prez nodded in understanding. “I know. This has been a long case, and we’ve got more to go, but we can at least breathe easier knowing those assholes won’t be on the streets causing troublefor us with a badge behind them. We still need to work on our public image and figure out a way to work with what’s left of their department, but that’s an issue for another day.”
While he wrapped up the meeting, Circus leaned over the back of the couch between me and Rooster. “Am I the only one who thinks we’ll never be able to work with those pigs?”
I bit back a grimace. I hated to agree with him. But after all the bullshit they pulled, both with Butch and with Wraith when his little brother showed up, I just couldn’t see it. It was going to be hard enough to get the town on our side. Whoever came up with the idea to get us working with the local PD would be a goddamn miracle worker.
2
Sierra
Have you ever failed so spectacularly that you felt like you deserved a medal? Like the failure was so epic, you were just waiting for someone to show up with a trophy and a pat on the head because no one could’ve failed as badly as you just did?
If there was a failure Olympics, I’d be a gold medalist by now.
That was the story of my life. Always chasing some stupid dream that blows up in my face a few weeks later. The list of grand plans I’d failed at was embarrassingly long. Sixteen-year-old me who thought I’d make it big as an influencer. That t-shirt printing business that never got off the ground, the Etsy store of knitted stuffed animals that only sold to members of my family. The list went on. Thousands of dollars of mine and my parent’s money went down the drain from one failed project to the next.
I thought I had it this time, though. I was almost certain. Everything was going perfectly. My business was off the ground, I was making a name for myself, and I thought I’d done something worth being proud of. But of course, things don’t happen like that for me. One stupid mistake, one rash decision,and my business was destroyed so brutally, there was no saving it. A fire would’ve been kinder.
I put everything I had into that business. So when it went under, I was forced to go back home with my tail between my legs. What’s more embarrassing than a twenty-eight-year-old moving back in with their parents? Apregnanttwenty-eight-year-old who could never seem to get her life together, no matter how hard she tried. Because it wasn’t enough for my business to fall apart. I had to find out too late that my summer fling ended in a pregnancy I was in no way ready for.
When my dad came to pick me up, he gave me that smile. You know,thatsmile. The one that was filled with pity and resignation, like he knew this was going to happen and was too kind to say it. I hated that smile. He’d given it to me too many times to count, and it killed me every time. My parents weren’t ashamed of me, they were always supportive when I went for something new, but their support always came with a hint of caution and disbelief, like they weren’t sure I could do it. And every time I proved them right, it hurt worse than the last time. Knowing this time I was going to have to tell them I was pregnant on top of it all stung like no one’s business.
The drive home was quiet. After piling what little belongings I had into the bed of my dad’s truck, I was too depressed to make small talk. I kept my belly hidden with a baggy sweatshirt and stared out the window the whole drive. My dad wasn’t a chatty guy, so I knew he wouldn’t push. It was my mom I had to worry about. She was a hoverer, and she’d swoop in and smother me the minute I was home. I spent the entire ten-hour drive in silence while I geared myself up to deal with her.
My parents lived in a town in the middle of the desert. If you could even call it a town. It had the basics, like a school, a hospital, and even a motel, but it wasn’t a busy place. The closest real city was several hours away. It always felt stifling to me as akid. The first time I went to an actual city, I got a crick in my neck from all the gaping I was doing at the tall buildings around me. It took a while to get used to the sights and sounds of it all.
My dad pulled up in front of the house I grew up in and I couldn’t help but let out a heavy sigh. Nothing had changed since the last time I was home. A single story bungalow, two bedroom, one bath, with a detached garage and a whole lot of nothing else. It was well maintained, no lawn, but the few desert flowers under the front window were watered and taken care of and you wouldn’t find any peeling paint anywhere.
Dad helped me move my things into my childhood bedroom, which still boasted its obnoxious pink walls, stars on the ceiling, and even a few butterfly stickers on the white bookshelf in the corner that I never bothered to remove. The twin bed was depressing to look at and I had to fight off a grimace as my dad put my boxes down and went to grab more.
I saw my mom in the kitchen and I hurried to help my dad unload the rest just to drag out the inquisition a little longer. It was hard enough making the phone call asking to come home. I wasn’t ready to admit the rest of it.
After the last of my things were safely stored in my room, my dad dusted off his hands and turned to face me.
“Thanks, Dad. I’ll just, uh…”
“Come on, peanut. Can’t avoid ‘er forever.”
My shoulders slumped. He might be quiet, but he was pretty damn perceptive. He knew I was avoiding my mom. He put a comforting hand on my shoulder, leading me down the little hallway and into the kitchen where my mom was prepping dinner. After ten hours in the car with only a quick stop for fast food for lunch, I was starving.
“Done hiding yet?” she quipped without turning around.
“Mama…”
When she turned, her smile was affectionate. She ushered me into a hug and I hesitated before giving in. I sank into it for a second, soaking in her comforting embrace.
“I missed you, baby.”
“Missed you too, Mama. Can I help with dinner?”
