Page 5 of Cougar

“Ride safe, brother.”

I hang up and run to my bike. As much as I want to find out more about AJ and who she is, I can’t. Not right now. All that matters right now is making sure that Artem is taken care of. We help him, and he helps us. I’m not going to let the feds find his stash.

I start my bike and make my way to the shipping yard. It doesn’t take long. Containers are piled, and trains are on the tracks waiting to be loaded. Artem is a hide-in-plain-sight type of man. I have no clue where the hell he’s going to send me, but I can’t dwell on it.

I drive through the yard, and it doesn’t take long to get to where his containers are. As I pull up, I see him and Rafe arguing. It’s obvious that they’re spooked and need this handled. At the noise from my bike, they both turn their heads toward me.

I shut off my bike, get off, and approach them. “Prez says you need the product moved. Tell me what and tell me where.”

“Are you the only one coming?” Rafe asks me.

“As far as I know. I don’t know what the plan is past this moment. Prez is calling church to get everyone on the same page. As far as his actions after, I don’t know. But I’m here to help get you started. I can take my bike or take a cage. Load me up and tell me where to go.”

“Just like that?” Rafe looks at me suspiciously.

“Just like that,” I tell him with a smile.

Rafe rolls his eyes and tells me to follow him. I tip my cowboy hat and wink at Artem before I follow. I can hear Artem’s chuckle as I walk away.

They have a horse trailer hooked up to an old farm truck. They don’t tell me what I am moving or its location in the truck and trailer. Because it’s second nature during these drops, I hand over my burner without thinking. The new burner is placed in my hand, and I get into the truck. It isn’t until I am halfway down the highway, I realize I fucked up. I found the woman of my dreams, got her number, and then gave it away to be destroyed less than an hour later.

You really are a dumbass, aren’t you?

I get to a feedlot just outside of Denver and am met there by more of Artem’s unsavory associates. I back up to the ramp, and they unload the two horses and then take their time getting whatever else is in there. Me being me, decide to be sociable and get some outside opinions on what transpired tonight.

“Hey, do you believe in fate?” I ask the guy standing by the driver’s door. The rather large unkempt man shoots me a side eye before keeping his attention on his buddies. “What about destiny? Like tonight—I met my future wife. She is the most beautiful creature that walked the earth. I heard her pour her heart and soul out in a song. Then I saw her knock a guy twice her size down. It was both terrifying and extremely sexy.” I let out a mournful sigh. “She and I spent an amazing time chatting in the park before I got pulled away. She put her number in the phone that I needed to destroy. And stupid me didn’t transfer her number over. So, I lost it. I lost my way to get to see her again. Should I put stock in fate or destiny and hope she comes back to me?” I put my arms on the door, resting my chin on them, and look at the man.

The man looks annoyed and uncomfortable and starts yelling at his buddies in another language. I am sure he is telling them to hurry their asses so he can get as far away from me as possible. I keep talking about my broken heart and how I miss the woman with whom I am meant to spend my life. I am making him feel more and more uncomfortable. Is it wise to annoy a man who most likely knows how to kill me five times over and make each look like an accident? Definitely not, but is it fun to make him squirm? You best believe it.

After a few hours at the lot and the two-hour drive home, it’s cresting dawn over the ranch, where I stay in the bunkhouse. As I fall face-first into my bed, I have a choice to make. Power nap and caffeine overload before heading into the shop to finish the engine rebuild with Gears. Or do I say fuck it, sleep for a bit, then try and find AJ in town somewhere?

“Dude!” I hear Gears call, banging on my door as he passes. “Let’s go. Only bitches need sleep!”

Well, I guess that answers that question.

***

*Four months before Rambo’s epilogue*

I love the smell of grease, the sound of torque wrenches, and the thud of tires. Add in the sounds of the guys giving each other shit, and it makes for a perfect day. Music plays, but it’s never so loud that we can’t hear each other. Most of the time, it’s only on to cover up the random moments of silence. It doesn’t happen often, but when everyone manages to shut up, the music helps. Unless it’s Uptown Girl playing, for some reason, that makes all the guys lose their shit, and nothing is done until it’s over.

I’m positive it’s Willie’s fault that that song comes on once a day.

Fuck, I love being here.

Walking into the garage bays after putting my shit in my locker, I attempt to listen to all of the conversations going on.

“Yo, Cougar. I need you to change the brakes in bay three.” Storm yells out.

“You got it, VP.”

“James! Come meet Cougar. Since his late ass wasn’t here when you showed up.”

I stop when Storm gives me shit. Everyone here starts when the shop opens, except me. I come in two hours later after I help with some of the animals on the ranch. I love it. I love feeding the cows and dealing with the horses. It calms me before I come into the garage and get covered in grease.

Looking around, I attempt to find this new guy. I feel so out of the loop when it comes to the people that we’ve hired recently. The club had me doing stints in lock-up to find out information. Well, then I went and got arrested all on my own once or twice, but it wasn’t my fault. I swear those dickholes are out to get me.

I hear the wheels on the creeper and turn toward the sound.

---