Page 65 of Timber

He looks at me in confusion and I can’t help but giggle. “It’s a sticky cream that you use on your hair to help with little fly-aways, or if you have your hair up in a ponytail, it helps keep everything in place.”

Smiling, he shakes his head as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone before texting someone. After a few moments, he puts his phone back in his pocket.

“Guess we better go visit Sasha. While you’re talking with her, I’ll get with Smoke to get the scanners. Then we’ll head on over to Levi’s to get your stuff so we can get you packed. Sasha’s gonna drive you in the club SUV. She’s already got her bike trailered on it and will ride back with Colt and a few others from our club tomorrow morning. With not having any riding gear for you and having never ridden before, I’m not going to have you start on a four-hour drive. When we come back for the wedding, one of Reaper’s Prospects will bring back the SUV. Reaper wants to leave in an hour, so we get back before dark.”

“But I’ll be able to ride with you soon?”

He grins. “You bet your ass. Tomorrow, after Sasha, Colt, and whoever else from Forest Creek leaves, I’ll take you to the Harley dealership to get everything. Punisher will probably go with us since he runs it.”

Excited to be on the back of his bike soon, I get up and grab my new phone. Gosh, I can’t believe I have a new phone. I’ve never had a new... well, anything of value before.

Mae: Is it still okay if I borrow your sculpting mud?

Sasha: Girl, you can have it. Actually, I have it in the SUV with me already. I’m headed over to Levi’s now to grab your stuff from her SUV. Oh, and I also have all of your information that Alexei and Ethan scanned today. The only things you need are whatever you have in Timber’s house or his room at the clubhouse. When I’m done at Levi’s, I’ll park outside of Timber’s house so you can load it whenever you’re ready.

Mae: Okay. I’ll see you soon.

As I put back on my shoes, I tell Liam what Sasha said.

“Okay. Wait for me in the main room while I get the scanners. Then we’ll head to the house so we can both pack.”

Four hours later, we get to Junction Creek, though we did stop halfway at a fast-food drive through place. I was embarrassed when Timber asked me how my first time was having actual fast food because everyone heard it and quite a few of the guys cursed. Regardless, I loved it and can’t wait to see what else I can have in the future. Today’s also the first day in forever that I ate three meals. I know each one was small, but it’s still progress.

My thoughts turn back to Junction Creek and I smile. It’s a cute little town and almost has the same feel as Forest Creek. There are lots of little waterfalls in the creek that runs through town, and there are a lot of trees throughout town and around it. Not as many as Forest Creek, but still quite a few.

As we head out of town, I start to get curious about what their clubhouse will look like. Do they also have houses within the club walls?

I’m about to ask Sasha when I see a chain link fence. Huh. I wonder why they don’t have cinderblock like Timber’s club? I mean, I know a cinderblock fence is more expensive than a chain link fence, but someone could cut through the fence and get on club grounds pretty easily.

“The fence is monitored by a bunch of cameras. If need be, Python can electrify the fence,” Sasha says.

I turn to her, surprised that she knew what I was thinking about. She laughs.

“I kind of figured you were comparing the two clubs. With how intent you were staring at the fence kind of cinched it. Not all of their fencing is chain link. It’s cinderblock around the main part of the clubhouse and by the gate.”

“Did they always have cinderblock?”

She shakes her head. “No. From what I understand, there were problems for both clubs about eight years back or so. They both just had chain link fences at the time and I don’t think they had gates yet, but Prospects were stationed at the entrances. Back then, everyone lived in the clubhouses, so there weren’t any houses on the club grounds yet. A shared enemy of the club was able to sneak onto club grounds at both sites and attacked. I don’t think any of our guys died, but a few were injured.”

“So it was after the attack that they put in the cinderblock and gates?”

“Yup. It’s just that Forest Creek took it a bit further and, except for where the forest is, there’s cinderblock all around the clubhouse. For the section of the property line going through the forest, they have a chain link fence like this one that’s heavily monitored and can be electrified as well. There’s a gate back there, too, but you need a code to get through.

“And FYI, I’m only telling you about that back gate right now because you’re an Old Lady and Thor said I could tell you about it. Only club members and their Old Ladies are allowed to know about the gate. I don’t know if you’ll be given the access code or not though. Levi did when she first became an Old Lady, but she’s also the Old Lady to the President, so I’m not sure how all that works out. I only found out about the gate when I started prospecting. We have to do rounds to check the fence.”

Nodding, I take in everything she’s told me. I wonder if the club has a lot of problems they have to deal with on a regular basis or if it’s just every now and then that things go down the crapper?

Seeing the gate, I push those thoughts out of my mind for right now. I can ask Timber that later.

As we pull through, I notice four houses are set back from the clubhouse as well as a couple of town houses. The guys park their bikes, but Sasha turns toward the road leading to the houses and comes to a stop. A few members come out on the porch along with an older couple. Timber walks up to one of the guys on the porch who hands him something and then Timber turns, walking toward us. He opens my door and helps me out, even though I’m perfectly capable of getting out on my own, but I like that he offers.

He tosses some keys to Sasha and she catches them. “Reaper said we can take the first one. Can you put our stuff in the bedroom?”

“You got it, Timber. I’ll be up when I’m done.”

Giving her a chin lift, he shuts the door and she drives toward the townhouses.

“They built those for when they have a lot of guests or if a couple comes up to visit, like someone’s parents. Now that there’s three of us with Old Ladies, we get first pick of them. Then again, Thor will always get first pick since he’s the President.”

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