Page 2 of Oz Wisdom

Oz straightened with the handful of sweet treats and came face to face with the woman who at one time was a permanent fixture at the Voodoo Troops clubhouse. Chelle.

"Would you tell her I'm sorry for how things went with us? I miss her," Chelle confessed to Nova.

"Sure,” Nova replied and pushed past her.

Chelle scanned the area before darting toward the restroom.

"Let's go,” Nova called over his shoulder.

Oz sauntered toward the counter and dumped a handful of candy onto the counter. Nova dropped bills onto the countertop as Mrs. Murdock bagged their purchase.

Blade slid the ice bag from the counter and led them outside. "Who's the woman talking to you?" he questioned Nova as he threw the bag of ice into his trunk.

"Chelle. She and Ruby were tight until she fell into that." Nova jutted his chin toward the two bikers pumping gas across the way.

"That’s the woman who was always with Ruby when Sara and I met y’all?” Blade asked.

"One and the same,” Nova confirmed.

Blade shook his head with a low whistle. “Hasn’t aged well.”

“That kind of life will do it to you,” Nova said. “We've watched many a beauty age before her time."

Oz said nothing. He dropped onto his seat and watched the dark-haired Taylor stroll from the building. Time had been rough on her, too. She had been lovely with black waves cascading down her back and bright eyes that seemed to take in every detail of life. Now instead of floating across the pavement in some one-of-a-kind piece of clothing she had conjured up, she stumbled in tattered jeans and a tight tee. Not the ambling sway of being drunk or drugged. But the slow and forced steps from weakness. She had become a shell of the stunning person he had met approximately ten years earlier.

She straddled the seat behind one of the bikers and glanced their way. Her eyes were dull and filled with a sadness Oz could recognize from a distance.

Nova leaned close and slapped Oz's arm. "Whatever happened was their choice. Don't feel sorry for either of them.”

Oz nodded. Nova was right. These women followed their men willingly. The treatment they received didn’t deter them from staying. Or did it? The Troops had made it difficult, almost impossible, for women they had used to leave them at one time. He glanced toward Taylor again. Had they done the same?

Oz winced and clenched his teeth when Drifter’s hand collided with Taylor’s cheek, sending her off balance. She grabbed her face and righted herself on the seat. Oz jerked his head toward a pained cry coming from the front of the store. Chelle jerked her arm from the hold of the second biker. Buzz. Oz only knew his name from his cut. He had not met him but had seen him as they had passed through town on occasion.

“Damn. Trouble coming,” Oz announced, standing from his bike.

Nova jumped to his feet and Blade flipped the latch on his trunk closed and stepped to the back of his bike.

Buzz was storming toward them with Chelle close behind. "You need to stay away from our women!" he shouted.

"Gladly. Get them out of here," Nova answered then turned back toward Oz.

A blinding gleam flashed across metal, bringing Oz to a halt before he settled onto his bike. The glare was gone in an instant and a barrel was aimed at Nova. Oz lunged forward and Blade’s warning came muffled by the pop and whizzing bullet toward them.

Chelle lunged forward and screamed before dropping to her knees and crumbling into the tall grass next to the gravel lot. “He did nothing wrong.” Her words bubbled out pained and forced.

“You defended the wrong man bitch.” Buzz stood over Chelle. “Should’ve just got on the bike like I told ya.”

"Chelle!" Taylor scrambled toward them, stumbling and half crawling to her friend's side. "She didn’t do anything."

“Come on man. You don’t want this trouble,” Drifter warned Buzz too late with a punch to his arm.

Blade was at Buzz’s side in seconds. A knife to his throat. “We're gonna chalk that up to an accident for today. I see your face around here again pointing a gun at anyone, I won't be as forgiving.”

"Inform your Prez we'll be requesting a sit down soon!” Nova shouted.

“You’re lucky she stepped in the way,” Buzz spat.

"Back on the bike,” Drifter ordered Taylor and shoved Buzz toward his bike.

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