Page 28 of Absolution

“Thanks,” I grumble to the waitress as she hands me my meal. After Ricca left me on the side of the road, I decided that after two attempts of eating in this place that I needed to give it the old college go again with her not distracting me. Thankfully for me, Willie’s was open for lunch, since I was probably no longer welcome at the diner anymore. Now I just had to make sure I didn’t piss him off or I’d be starving for the rest of my stay here.

The smell from the steak in front of me makes my stomach grumble impatiently. It’s been over twenty-four hours since I’ve actually eaten something, but my cravings were singular compared to the woman who keeps eluding me. I can only hope the promise that she left me with, on the roadside, was actually the truth and not another lie. Unfortunately for her, she wouldn’t be able to run far thanks to the tracker that Voodoo packed for me. With a flick of my finger, I could see her every move in that truck. Was it invading her privacy and illegal? Of course it was, but I’m not about to let her slip away so easily this time. The trust between us needs to be rebuilt, but call me a fool for keeping my skepticism about it. I just had to pray that she doesn’t find out about it because that kind of fight could draw a good payday if I sold tickets for it.

Grabbing the knife and fork, I cut into the steak and nearly groan at the medium rare perfection on my plate. The first bite melts in my mouth. The second and the third go down as quickly as I can shove it in. I eat like a man starved for months, and in a way, that’s exactly what I am. Starved for Ricca. As I reach for my beer, I feel a vibration coming from my pocket. It could only mean one of two things, Ricca left the city limits or it’s one of my club brothers. Setting the utensils down on my plate, I reach into my jeans and pull out my phone.

It’s sad to admit that I sigh with relief, when I see Hero’s name on the screen.

“Hero,” I state plainly as I answer the phone. Music pounds in the background, until his muffled voice finally breaks through the commotion.

“Celebrating, VP?” I inquire. “Sounds like there’s quite the party happening at the club house.”

“You could say that,” Hero declares with a hit of exhaustion to his voice. “It’s been a long night.”

“Do you need me back?”

A muffled sound comes through the receiver along with whispered voices that I can’t understand. My instincts heighten knowing that something is wrong.

“Hero,” I call out. “You still there?”

“We’ve got another club here at the moment, and we’re about to get into some heavy shit. Raze is tied up in meetings right now, but he wanted me to call to let you know.”

“This isn’t your version of the if you don’t hear from me ever again talk bullshit, is it?” I ask, hoping that I am wrong in the gut feeling I have. I’m helpless here so far away from my club, and that is not a feeling that I particularly like having. The club has been my life since Jagger brought me into the fold, thus saving my life. When they call, I answer no questions asked. I have never not been there for a fight, and it’s gnawing at me knowing that this could be the first time experiencing the shit hitting the fan from the outside.

“It could be. Our old buddy Rex apparently started trafficking local pussy, instead of importing it. One of the girls he has belongs to a club from Texas. They showed up guns blazing.”

“Sounds pretty heavy, man. Are you sure you don’t need me to come back? I could be there in less than six or seven hours, if I caught a flight right now.”

“Raze was very specific in his instructions for you to stay put. Besides, we have their numbers to help us end this problem for the last time,” he replies, but the pull inside me to be there for my club continues to nag at me. There are a few things that I have remained loyal to in my life, my club and Ricca. The hard part of having two priorities is that one may have to be sacrificed for the good of the other, but I don’t think I am equipped to make a call like that just yet. Raze, being the good club president that he is, isn’t asking me to do that, but that time may come and when it does, the decision will have to be made.

“Are the women and the kids taken care of?” I ask. Hero pauses before answering.

“That’s not the kind of shit I expected to hear coming out of your mouth, Ratch. I’m not sure if I like this softer side of you.”

“I’m not soft, asshole. We’ve got more people than ourselves to think about now, including your woman and kids. We protect our own, and that extends to them,” I growl back at his surprise.

“I appreciate it, brother. It’s nice knowing that should shit go south that you’ll still be around to watch after them. Not all plans work out the way they should.”

“No shit,” I mutter. “So, I’m gonna ask again. Do you need me?”

“No, we’re covered. How are things going on your end? Any progress?”

A laugh rumbles from my chest unexpectedly. How in the fuck did two grown ass men get to the point in their lives that we talk about the women in them? Jesus, maybe being here with her has turned me into a fucking pussy.

“She seems to be coming around. Progress might be slower than anticipated, but with a little luck, that might be changing today.”

“I wish you luck, brother. Women are complicated creatures,” he teases. “Trust me, I have three of them under my roof right now.”

“Twins keeping you busy?”

“You have no idea. Fucking hell on wheels times two. Nothing is safe in my house.”

We both share a laugh, before I notice the time. Ricca should be here soon enough. Hero talks about his daughters and Dani, but I tune him out, while I wave for the waitress to bring me a to-go box for my meal. Instead of bringing it, she takes my plate with her. I try to reach out and stop her, but she slips past me and stomps off with my half-eaten dinner. Let’s hope she comes back with it because this time I wasn’t going to take a chance of leaving with an empty stomach, on the off chance Ricca manages to get me black listed from this place. Convenience store food fucking sucks, and the chance of her actually being a decent cook is slim to none. I’ve seen her so called cooking skills, and we’re just lucky she hasn’t burned down the clubhouse kitchen yet.

“Hey man, I’ve got to run. Let me know how things go, and if the status quo changes, I’ll be there to clean up the mess you make. Just don’t let Voodoo near a gun. He might blow a foot off, instead of taking care of business.”

He chuckles, before disconnecting the call. The pretty red headed waitress comes back with a box in her hand. I leave her a hefty tip for a good job, and slide from the booth. Willie waves at me from behind the bar as I exit the building.

At least, Willie likes me. For now, anyway. After watching him man handle that Johnny kid last night, I’m sure he could hold his own against me. Something that I hope never has to come to fruition.

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