Page 11 of Running Alone

I give her some time then suggest maybe we go to the Wooden Spirits to grab some lunch. She nods and uses her sleeve to wipe her face. Yeah, Addie is young. We finish up then I lock up the shop and we both walk to our vehicles. Mine is my bike and Addie’s is one of the club’s vans. She doesn’t have a bike yet, which she’s okay with. She’s learning to ride with Glory, Peanut, and Heartbreaker. Each sister brings something to the table so I’m sure she’ll be on a bike soon.

As I go to get on my bike, Addie grabs my arm.

“Hey, Kitty, thanks so much. Didn’t know you were so cool. For the first time since your club found me, I don’t feel so alone. That group of sickos had us running all over but now I feel like I’m grounded. So I do appreciate it, even if I don’t say it often enough.”

She gives me a sort of a hug then turns and walks to the van. I’m kind of surprised but also glad we had this time together. We were able to get to know each other without the eyes of all the club sisters. Sometimes they can be beyond intimidating, that’s for sure. Addie pulls up next to me, giving me the signal to lead. We both pull out and I stop to engage the fence to close and arm itself. Since the garage was attacked a few years ago, it’s now on Raven’s security rounds to keep an eye on everything. Once locked and the security is armed, I lead the way to WoodenSpirits. I’m starving and can’t wait to see what the cook has as a special for today.

Addie and I have placed our orders and are waiting when she states she’s going to the bathroom before the food arrives. I sit here sipping on my tea, looking around the grill, not shocked it’s almost full. The last couple of months business has been steadily growing. Lunches are busy but dinnertime is crazy.Kind of glad I’m off tonightis my thought as one of the high school kids, Timmy, makes his way to me.

“Um, hi, Kitty. Can I ask a quick question ’cause I’m confused.”

He asks me his question and as I’m trying to explain the procedure for closing down the kitchen after cook has taken care of her station, I see something toward the back of the hallway, Addie being cornered by two men. Something tells me she’s in trouble. I get up, telling Timmy to get Wildcat and whoever is in the building. I move quickly and quietly toward where those two men now have Addie up against the wall, one has his hands on her. No way, not on my fucking watch, asshole. I reach at my back, grabbing my Sig Sauer P238 so I’m locked, loaded and ready for anything. The closer I get, the better I see the utter fear rolling across Addie’s face. Her eyes are huge as the one asshole leans toward her, licking her cheek. My stomach turns because that tells me these two assholes are very dangerous if they would accost a prospect of the Devil’s Handmaidens Motorcycle Club in their own place of business.

“I’m going to say this one time, you scum bag motherfuckers. Get your filthy hands off my sister now, before I put bullets inthe back of both of your heads. Do it now, then turn around, hands in the air.”

One of the men kind of snorts a laugh then slowly turns. When he sees my gun pointed at them, he turns gray.

“Let her go, we got some trouble.”

I keep my eyes on both men, waiting for any sign of them feeling brave. If I can help not blowing someone’s head off in the Wooden Spirits, that would be great. I feel her before I even have eyes on her. Shadow has that effect on people, including me. When she flies past me, I keep my weapon on the man who had turned around. Shadow grabs the asshole by the neck and literally moves Addie before slamming the cocky bastard into the wall, knocking him out cold.

The aura and atmosphere surrounding us feels pure dark and evil. Shadow is in her element when I hear voices behind me. Sister by sister makes their way to us. When I see Spirit push her way to where Shadow is kneeling next to the prick who licked Addie’s cheek, I can’t believe my eyes at what I’m seeing. Shadow has a knife and is just about ready to cut his tongue out. Spirit grabs her arm, shaking her head violently. Shadow’s eyes are ice-blue and dead. They seem to speak without words because Shadow draws back while Spirit pulls her phone out.

Addie stumbles my way and I see her top is ripped, and she has the beginning of a black eye and a fat lip. The guy who was standing off to the side hasn’t moved at all, though I can see that he’s pissed himself as he keeps his eyes on Shadow, watching her every move.

“Wildcat, might want to pull those walls together as quick as you can. I have a feeling shit is about to go down. Might want to close early.”

Hearing Glory telling Wildcat that tells me tonight is going to be one of those nights you never forget. I pull Addie to me, whispering quietly that she’s okay, though I know that’s a lie.She looks up at me through tear-filled eyes and softly asks me a question I don’t have an answer to.

“Kitty, when is it going to end? All I want to do is try and have a life. Why are they so mean?”

Before I can even think of an answer, I hear loud voices on the other side of the building. Now that the walls are closed, I can’t see who is having a hemorrhage. When I hear a familiar voice and then sudden silence, that tells me Avalanche is here to help Shadow and Spirit handle whatever is going on.

NINE

‘LACHI’

MALACHI

As much fun as these last few days have been with my boys, I’m ready to get in the cars and leave. Yeah, we are taking both of the vehicles, Jude’s and the one Patti rented for me. This way, when we get up to Montana, we’ll have more available cars in case one of us wants to go somewhere and none of the others do.

This place is literally heaven. All the staff has to hear is you say something and in under an hour you have whatever you asked for. Example, grumpy Jude wanted to do s’mores but we didn’t have any of the ingredients. He was talking to Vito about it at lunch and how he’s been craving them since he got here. After we finished eating and were getting ready to leave, a young waitress approached the table with a picnic basket. We all looked at each other, thinking the same, “Shit, “I ain’t going on a picnic with these guys.”

Then she explained, “Hi. One of the servers overheard you, so here’s a basket with everything you’ll need to make some s’mores. Enjoy!”

With that she turned and Jude for once had a genuine, huge smile on his face. Just as I go to give him some shit, my phone goes off and looking down, I grab it, stand, and walk away.

“Morning, Ruby.”

“Hey, Lachi. Umm, well, I don’t know how to say this but you guys might want to change your plans to come up here to Timber-Ghost. No, wait, Lachi, I’m being serious. We had a situation at the Wooden Spirits. Two guys put hands on Addie, our newest prospect, and right now she’s lying down with a black eye, split lip, and in the middle of a huge panic attack. Dr. Mal gave her a shot of something to calm her down, but as she was talking, we realized they did a whole lot more than a little touching. From what Glory told us, both breasts are bruised with fingerprints on them. And the biggest asshole had his hand between her legs and not in a good way. Don’t want you walking into a fucking mess.”

I’m literally taken aback. Is she worried about me? I mean, I can have any amount of security there by end of day, but she doesn’t know that. So I do my best to calm her.

“Ruby, we are not going somewhere else. Now listen to me, the four of us have been in situations that weren’t the best. I believe, but might be wrong, at least three of us conceal carry. Don’t panic, we are all legal. How’s your girl doing? She going to be all right? What happened to the two assholes? Was Shadow around?”

I don’t push, just wait patiently for her to process and reply. That’s the thing with Ruby, she has to have time to listen, absorb, and then process. Kind of like my youngest brother who has ADHD. Wonder if Ruby has it, not that it would matter to me in the least.

“Lachi, there’s a lot I can’t share if it’s club business. Though with this one, probably have some leeway as it happened in a public place. Yeah, Shadow showed up with Spirit, who’s from the Blue Sky Sanctuary, and just like my sister. It took three folks to keep Shadow from doing her ‘wet work’ right there in the Wooden Spirits. It took Tink on the phone to tell her to stepdown. Before you ask, our prez is taking hormone treatments to try and get pregnant so she was at the ranch.

---