Page 3 of Tank
I’m not sure how long I’ve been working out, but I hear the door to the gym open. Stopping my workout, I look over, and Kate is standing there, leaning against the door jam.
“You okay, bro? You’ve been in here a long time,” she says.
Kate is my older sister, with long, wavy hair, which is always dyed bright colors. She is full of sass and attitude. Fuck, I’ve missed her. She’s been away for a year or so dancing in New York, but she’s back now, and I am fucking glad. I hated her being so far away from me where I couldn’t support her. Something is definitely going on with her and Cass. That’s the reason she ran to New York in the first place. He better not make her run again. I will kill him this time, brother or not. She’s my sister, and I will protect her.
“I’m good,” I reply once I’ve got my breath back.
“You sure? You only workout like this when you have something on your mind.”
“I met a woman today, and for some reason, I can’t get her out of my head,” I confide in her.
That’s the thing about Kate, I can talk to her without judgment. She’s my sister, and she’ll love me regardless.
“Figured it might be a woman,” she says with a giggle.
“Yeah, okay, laugh it up,” I reply as I drop down onto the bench.
“So, tell me about this woman who’s got to you?” she asks as she sits next to me.
“Not really a lot to tell to be fair. I only just met her, but she’s stuck.”
Kate turns to me with a look of pure shock on her face.
“Fuck, she must be some woman.”
“Look, I’ve been unhappy for a while.”
“Unhappy?” Kate replies, sounding concerned.
“Yeah, the club girls aren’t doing it for me anymore. Watching Joker and Carrie together just makes me feel like I’m missing something. I’m not getting any younger, but it takes a special kind of woman to handle this life.”
Kate nods, but stays silent.
“I need a strong woman who can call me on my crap, but also handle the club side of my life. That kind of woman is rare. Not sure I’m meant to have that.”
Risking it, I look at Kate, and I notice she has tears in her eyes. She wraps her arms around me and hugs me tight.
“You’re an amazing guy and the best brother a girl could ask for. You are so meant to have that in your life. Look at BJ and Pip. They are walking, living proof that you can make a relationship work in this life and be happy. Just because you’re a badass biker doesn’t mean you’re unlovable.” She kisses my head and walks away, leaving me to think over her words.
Am I lovable?
CHAPTERTWO
PANDORA
Driving away from the range, I notice the hunk of a biker watching me in my rearview mirror. I don’t really want to admit it, but his cheesy chat-up line did make me laugh. With that killer smile and those lickable dimples, I bet he can make any girl fall to her knees without those lines. Still, I ain’t one of them girls who fall for the looks. My life isn’t simple, and there is no room for a man in it right now. I’m here for one thing and one thing only. Do my job and leave.
Never before on a job have I liked the place I’ve landed in as much as I have Pine Ridge, Texas. Something about this town feels welcoming. It looks like any other sleepy Texas town. However, don’t let it fool you. Pine Ridge is a hive of criminal activity—loan sharks, moonshiners, and also a Mafia presence. I just need to ignore my growing like of the town and get on with my job.
Pulling into the driveway of the house I’m renting on the edge of town, far from any neighbors, I can still picture the smirk on his face. Going in, I make my way up to the bathroom to take a hot shower and wash away the dust from the range. I stand under the spray and let the hot water wash over me for a while before finishing my shower. Toweling off, I dress in my usual black jeans and a t-shirt, plus my boots. Wanting a quick bite to eat, I check everything is ready. Placing my bag in the trunk, I make the drive over to the industrial part of town, grabbing a burger and fries from a drive-through on the way. I park my car behind an abandoned warehouse, hiding it between the dumpsters. Hauling out my bag and takeout, I head inside, and up to the room I’ve set up. This is the boring part of my job, the sitting, and watching. Surveillance is an important part, but so tedious.
Sitting down on my chair, I eat my food while checking the video feed from earlier in the day. A human trafficking ring has been operating out of Pine Ridge, and it’s my job to identify the key players. People like the men running this ring are the scum of the earth, lowest of the low. It will be my greatest pleasure to put them down. Getting comfy, I sit back and wait. Every once in a while, I take a photo of someone who comes and goes from the warehouse across from me. I need as much information as I can get.
Around 8:00 a.m., Rose comes to relieve me.
Rose is a small woman with purple hair in waves, cut into a long bob. She’s beautiful, like a little elf, and I love working with her.
“How’s it been?” she asks.
