Page 14 of Chubs

“You nearly died once protecting this man. Please, for all that is holy, promise me you won’t do that again!” Dad says in a raised, alarmed voice.

“Don’t shout, Gordon,” Mom insists before turning to me. “What do you need, Lucy? Do you want to fly home today? Lisa and I can come with you. Do you want to move out of the apartment and come back home? Whatever you decide, you have us to help.”

Thinking it over, I answer with the last bit of energy I can muster today.

“No, I want to stay here. I need a little distance from Denver and the Angels right now. Ava’s going to lose her shit, probably break things, and I would like to avoid that scene for a few days. I’ll get interrogated by club members too, and I’m not sure I’m ready to face it yet. I have decisions to make but not today. Today, I just want to be sad. Tomorrow, I’ll move on to anger.”

True to my word, I woke up the next morning angry. I skipped right past the first stage of grief, denial, and moved into the pissed-off-at-the-world angry phase. Maybe I didn’t completely skip denial because the last several months, I’ve been denying what was right before me. Chubs was going to move on, and I wasn’t going to be a part of his future. Fuck him.

I climb out of bed and head for the bathroom. Taking a long, hot shower does nothing to calm my emotions, though. Going through my morning routine, I hear Lisa call my name. Stepping out of the bathroom, I notice she’s ready for the day.

“What?” I bite out and then try to rein in my temper.

“Well, good morning to you too, Sunshine. I ordered us breakfast. Mom will be here in a few minutes to eat with us. Dad is in meetings all day, so he’s left already.”

“Fine,” I snap before taking a deep breath and giving her an apologetic look.

“Here’s the deal, little sister. I get that you’re hurting, and I understand what you’ve lost. I too loved that man, but mostly because I thought he was perfect for you. Turns out, I was wrong about that, and he’ll have to answer for it someday. Until then, I’m here for you, no matter what. You can spit fire, cuss like a sailor, kick things, whatever you need to do to feel better and heal your heart, and I’ll still be standing next to you. If you want to move back to Mom and Dad’s home, I’ll come over every day to be whatever you need. If you want to live at the Governor’s Mansion instead, I’ll hate it, but I’ll come there. I personally would love it more, though, if you moved into my condo, and we could terrorize the world together again. So, you be as angry as you need to be, and I’ll be angry beside you. Deal?”

Nodding my head, I walk across the room and throw my arms around my sister. She does the same, and we stay standing there together until there’s a knock on the door. Pulling away, Lisa walks to the door and opens it to find our mom. Mom looks at Lisa, then me, and enters my room. She makes her way to me before pulling me in for a hug. Lisa joins us, and we threeDouglaswomen stand together, as one, before taking on the day.

Chapter 7

Chubs

I leave Denver in the middle of the night, taking very little with me. I ride one direction, then another, until I’m positive I’m not being followed. Once I hit the highway, I twist the throttle. Finding the car exactly where I wanted it, I park my bike, smash my cell phone, and stow the handgun I usually carry in the saddlebags. Retrieving the car keys, I carefully place my Devil’s Angels cut into the trunk next to the items that were left in it for me. Working quickly, I close the trunk, move the car onto the pavement before brushing away its tire tracks. To give myself the best head start, I leave a confusing scene on purpose. Was I taken by the Feds, or did I leave on my own? I know they’ll launch a search, and Rex won’t rest until he gets answers, so every minute counts. As I drive off, I can’t help but look in the mirror at my bike left on a lonely highway. The need, desire to turn back hits hard, but I ignore it.

I drive west for several hours before pulling into a deserted rest stop. I grab the backpack sitting on the seat next to me and exit the car. The sun’s not up yet as I make my way inside the building. Setting the backpack on the countertop, I pull the items I need from it.

I glance up and am almost startled by the man I see in the mirror. Tired, blank eyes stare back at me as I plug in the clippers. Getting to work, I shave my curls off, leaving my hair a scant inch in length. Lately, I had let my scruff grow into a short but messy beard. That gets shaved off next, leaving my face completely bare for the first time in a long time. Cleaning up the mess I made, I splash cold water on my face.

It takes a few attempts, but eventually, I get the blue contacts placed in my eyes, which are now burning like hell. Blinking rapidly, I nearly make myself dizzy, waiting for my eyes to adjust. When they do, I change my clothes. Instead of blue jeans, t-shirt, and a cut, I’m nearly unrecognizable in a polo shirt, slacks, and nice shoes. I miss my boots instantly. Cussing under my breath, I pack everything away again and walk out.

Placing a pair of sunglasses on my face, I note the sun is breaking free of the horizon. Tossing the backpack into the backseat, I notice a cooler behind the driver’s seat. I almost smile, knowing that it’s going to contain my favorite thing. Next to the cooler sits a duffle bag. Opening it, I’m shocked but pleased to find several useful items. A road atlas, binoculars, extra ammo, a couple different types of knives, a small toolbox with a few basic tools, an envelope of cash totaling $500, all in small bills, candy bars, licorice, and bags of gummi bears. All useful and appreciated gifts.

Pulling out of the rest area, I open the cooler one-handed. I pull out a Coke, then a sandwich, as I push down on the accelerator. A few more hours, and I turn north.

I continue my drive, trying to keep my mind off what I left behind and instead focusing on what I’m heading toward. I stop only when necessary and keep as separated from people as possible. When I get too tired to continue, I find another rest area and park near the back of the lot. I recline the seat as best as I can, pull a jacket over myself, and try to sleep.

When I wake, I instantly realize my mistake. I will never forget to remove those contacts again as I’m desperately trying to open my eyes that seem to have been glued shut. Rubbing my eyes only makes the situation worse. Tears running down my face, I finally get my eyes open and find a face pressed against my car window. Instinctively, I slam my body backward and shout in surprise.

The face disappears at the same time I realize it’s not a threat to me but a young boy. His face reappears, this time with a wide smile that’s missing a few teeth.

“Peek-a-boo!” he shouts, then giggles at himself before ducking down out of sight again.

Body relaxing, I wait for him to reappear. I turn the key far enough to slide the window down and place my face so it’s close to the moving glass. When he pops back up, I shout, “Boo!”

Not expecting our faces to be nose to nose, he squeals and bounces back a step, wide-eyed.

“You scared me,” he accuses.

“You scared me,” I return.

“Why are you crying?” he asks.

“Not crying. Sore eyes. Do you have parents here with you?” I ask while looking around the area where I’m parked.

“Yeah, my mom. She’s inside changing my brother’s diaper. He pooped.”

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