Page 24 of Ranch's Resolve

“Fuck, Axel, I almost shot you,” I say when the prospect comes into view. “Where did you come from?”

“Simon and I got here before the fire trucks. We moved your bike out of the way and found some trash lying nearby. We loaded him into the SUV. Simon is driving him to the clubhouse and will put him in El Bodego. I was just about to bring your bike up to the house.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: ATHENA

After a restless night, I arrive at work dragging and dreading the day. I can’t seem to shake the sense of foreboding that kept sleep at bay the previous night. By contrast, Raven is happy and perky as she greets me.

“Oh, you look like you need more sleep,” Raven says when I return her greeting with a grumpy grunt.

“Getting more sleep would imply that I got some. I didn’t,” I reply, walking through the reception area and into my office. Placing my briefcase on my desk, I remove the files I took home the previous night while Raven places a mug of much-needed coffee on my desk.

“How come?”

While I could mention the murder, I can’t tell her why his death concerns me so much. Georgie told me his name during a session. So, I give her the second reason why I had trouble sleeping.

“Ranch came over last night, and I made him dinner,” I start. Raven gets a knowing smile, but I shake my head, knowing where her mind went.

“Hubba hubba. Now, that’s a good reason not to get any sleep, and it’s about time. Clean out the cobwebs.”

I snort and shake my head. “There was no cleaning out the cobwebs. Ranch and I had a disagreement. He left angry. Pretty certain that’s the last I’ll see of him.”

“Wow, that must have been some fight. What happened?”

“He asked me for a favor. When I asked him why he needed me to do what he asked, he said it was club business. Which means it’s very likely illegal. It’s the same bullshit that I dealt with when Killian and Deion were members of the Spades.”

“Killian and Deion were members of the Spades? I didn’t know that.”

“I kept my distance from both of them when they were. We just started rebuilding our family because they left the Spades and joined a cruiser club.”

“What’s a cruiser club?”

“It’s like a car club. They work on cars, go to car shows, and cruise around. They call themselves Zeus’s Bolt. They are kind of like those guys from the Fast and the Furious franchise but without the crime. They were mostly car enthusiasts when Deion and Killian joined, but they also have a few guys who ride motorcycles. The club has members who are former criminals, law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMTs, and others. I like the club because it keeps Killian and Deion from sliding back into crime.”

“And now you’re worried about getting involved with someone who does illegal things?”

“Yes. I thought I was done with it, but if I let Ranch into my life, I’ll let all that stress and worry back in too.”

“The Demon Dawgs do good stuff, too,” Raven says. “They have Crossroads, and I know they assisted in stopping that serial killer a year ago. I heard they helped capture the men who were killing pregnant women, too.”

I sigh as I nod in agreement. “I know they do good things, but they still wear the 1% patch.”

“Have you talked to Caitlin or Evie about this? Both of them are Old Ladies. Ask them how they feel about being with members of the Demon Dawgs. I don’t see them tolerating criminal behavior. I also don’t see Scar or Chaos putting either of them in danger.”

“You’re right. I know you’re right, but they still break the law. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t wear the patch.”

“I think you’re focusing too much on the patch and Ranch claiming something is club business. People can break the law for a good reason, not just for selfish gain. Laws change, and not all laws protect the innocent. Maybe the Demon Dawgs only break laws to protect the innocent. Is that so bad?”

I consider her words between consults. Near the end of my day, I still haven’t decided what to do about Ranch. My last appointment is with Tanya, so I step into the waiting room to wait for her. Tanya is my cousin Deion’s former girlfriend.

She’d been seeing me since Deion found her broken and left for dead. She’d been a victim of a man who kidnapped women and raped them in an attempt to impregnate them with his child. He was convinced his child was destined to become the ‘Chosen One.’ However, whenever he failed to impregnate his victim, he’d let his followers rape the woman before beating her to death and disposing of her body. Tanya survived due to her strength and a bit of luck. My cousin took her to the hospital and begged me to take her on as a patient. Deion loved Tanya, but he lost her when she learned of his crimes. Now, she was Ghost’s Old Lady. Seeing her gives me pause. Tanya broke up with Deion because he was a criminal. But she stayed with Ghost. What does that mean? Does she not know of Ghost’s crimes, or does she no longer care?

When the door opens, it isn’t just Tanya. Izzy, the Demon Dawgs’ prospect, is with her.

“Good afternoon,” I greet them with hugs.

“I wasn’t sure you’d be here today,” Tanya says after hugging me back.

“Why wouldn’t I be here? Where would I be?” I ask with a grin.

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