Friction (Oath Keepers MC Book 5) (18 page)

“You’ll always have me; I promise you that. For some reason, dying isn’t my thing.”

I lean up on my tippy-toes and kiss him lovingly—attempting to pour my heart into it so he knows exactly how I feel.
I’m in love with you,
I think, as my tongue softly caresses his.

After a moment, I pull back, and he holds me close for a few beats before returning to his task of getting ready to go.

“Do you know how long you’ll be?” I inquire as I head to the bathroom, returning with his toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, and deodorant.

“No, not exactly. I’m guessin’ ‘bout a week, maybe a little longer. Hopefully, it all works out quickly so I can come back soon.”

“Geez, a whole week again; I’m going to miss you!”

“I’mma miss you, too, baby. It could be longer than a week, so keep that in mind.”

“Okay,” I nod and he kisses the tip of my nose.

“I know you like to call and check up on me an’ your brother, which is sweet and all, but on runs you can’t do that. It could distract us, and being bikers, we can’t have that. I understand you worry, so I’ll do my best to call you every night. But don’t freak out or nothin’ if I miss a night, ‘kay? It doesn’t mean anything happened to us, we could just decide to ride late then pass out as soon as possible. Or to be real with you, we could stop by a bar and then pass out afterwards. I ain’t gonna lie about that shit with you. I’m no angel, but I won’t be runnin’ around on you while I’m gone.”

“I understand. I’ll wait to hear from you, but, you better actually call me! Don’t do what my brother does, where he says he’ll call and then never does. As for you stopping off at a bar, well I’m used to you doing your thing, just don’t drive afterwards.”

“You got my word.” His eyebrow goes up and I bring up the other thing I worry about.

“Also, ummm, please don’t do cocaine while you ride. I don’t like it at all, but especially when you’re going to be on your motorcycle.”

“I haven’t touched it since I came back and we talked, a little over two weeks now.”

“Oh my God, thank you!”

“I care about you. I promise, I’m tryin’ to be a better man for ya’. I know I don’t deserve you, but fuck if I ain’t gonna at least try to be half the man you oughta have.”

At his words I can’t hold myself back from squeezing him tightly.
God, I freaking love him.

Pressure makes diamonds.

-www.keepcalmgallery.com

Our Mafia contact, Tate,
was able to come through this past week. One reason why we had to lay low was to wait for the new weapons to arrive and do a little recon. We didn’t do much, just played it off with normal shit while a few other clubs, that owed us favors, did the work for us. We didn’t want to alert any of the Iron Fists to our plans if they were busy watching, which we were counting on them to be.

We also made a few of our contacts happy, with making some extra cash when retrieving our guns for us. Normally Cain and 2 Piece go on the run down to Tennessee to retrieve our weapons, maybe a few others, depending on the load. This time we branched out and had them retrieved; it worked out pretty well in the end.

After three days of going over possible locations with a few other Presidents, Ares and Smiles were able to pinpoint a possible location for the Iron Fists South Texas Chapter. That’s our plan, to hit the Texas clubhouse hard and then head straight to the Cali Chapter to meet up with the Nomads.

2 Piece’s buddy, Ace, was able to catch a lower patched Iron Fist in his strip joint and coax the location of the Cali compound out of him. I guess with enough drugs and tits in the douche’s face, he squawked like a fuckin’ bird. Pieces of shits have no concept of what loyalty is.

People are constantly turning and selling each other out. They’d have to kill me before I ever turned rat and gave up information on my club.

We’ve stopped at a gas station, loading our bikes up with fuel at the last stop until we hit their club’s location. We’re already in their general territory, but now we have to find the clubhouse. It could literally be anywhere, considering it’s so fuckin’ dry and abandoned out here. If Smiles didn’t have a spot marked out, we’d never find it out here in the middle of nowhere. This stretch of I-10 consists of random dirt roads and the occasional old dilapidated shack.

“Everyone ready?” Ares barks, and we all fix our skull bandanas to cover our faces and start our bikes up. With him leading the pack, we all fall in order. Once back on the highway, we’re a little more relaxed, spreading out some, but still maintain the convoy. When Prez isn’t around, it’s always Ares, then Smiles, Cain, 2 Piece, me, Spin, and a Prospect. Except today we have Exterminator heading up the back; in case shit goes down, he can hit up the Nomads and let them know asap.

The Nomads took the other route and headed to Cali straight away. They’re gonna go scope out the info 2 Piece was able to get and see if it’s really accurate. We left Snake, Scratch, and Prez back home to watch the clubhouse. Prez was pissed he couldn’t head up the search, but he has to be close in case somethin’ happens with Mona. She needs round-the-clock help right now with a lot of doctors’ visits. Prez doesn’t need to be worrying about club shit right now; he needs to be concentrating on his family. Mona has to come first, and after putting up with his shit for so many years, she definitely deserves it.

We ride for what feels like hours before Ares signals to slow down; Smiles’ intercom popping on in our helmets.

“We’re hitting the left in about a quarter.” His voice streams through pretty clear for being on a motorcycle and none of us wearing full helmets.

We adjust our speed accordingly, and sure enough, a narrow side street on the right side comes into view. Ares slows and Cain pulls ahead to lead. Being the Enforcer, he’s usually the first one in to inspect. That way if shit goes down, it’s his job to attempt to protect us until we can get set up and fuck some shit up if needed.

Smiles rasps quickly, “Slow it down, kid! It’s not even two miles up, son. Hit the left in about one point five. Map shows a mass of trees.”

So he’s saying in about a mile and a half take a sharp left. He always changes it up. We’ve gotten used to it and he does it as added precaution in case someone’s able to pick up our communications system. A massive what looks like wall made of trees appears around a hill and we turn off, quickly quieting our engines.

“You’d never know this shit were here, if we hadn’t drove down this way!” Cain states as he climbs off his bike.

Smiles climbs off next. “Yep, ‘cause we’re getting close to Mexico. All kinda shit’s hidin’ back in these parts. It would make sense for these fuckers to be out here; they can get drugs and women from the Mexican Cartel easily.”

Ares angrily grumbles something under his breath.

I’ve heard the rumors of his ex leaving him for some dude in the Mexican Bikers Association or whatever it was called, but I’m not sure if any of it’s true. The brothers are bad about gossiping, so you never know what’s actually accurate.

“We goin’ on foot the remaining half?” I ask, tying my boots tighter. In case it’s a trek, I don’t want one to fall off.

Ares nods, “Yeah, probably smartest to be as quiet as possible. I’m hoping they didn’t get too wound up from us comin’ this close. Load up on the ammo and new toys; let’s go get these fucks. Oh, and watch out for traps or anyone hiding. Smiles is right, for all we know there could be Mexicans out here for the Cartel or other smugglers and that would really stir the shit pot up for us. They probably have some bear traps set or some shit, not to mention the wildlife.”

I fix my bandana over my face to make sure I can’t be recognized and also the plain black one I wear over my hair to keep it out of my face while I ride. Folding my cut, I carefully place it over my bike and grab my extra ammo for the guns I have strapped on and a bottle of water. I’m about to have an adrenaline spike, let alone have to walk for who knows how far, I may as well hydrate on the way there.

A few other brothers quickly chug a bottled water or Gatorade and we all start to make our way through the trees, following Smiles’ directions. He rants on random facts, while sipping from his flask of whiskey.

Spin jumps to the side, faster than I’ve ever seen him move before. “Fuck! Watch out for snakes! I just saw a scary lookin’ bitch!”

Ares chuckles, not breaking his pace. “A snake won’t hurt you; they’ll bite, but you’ll live. Pull your panties outta your ass, Spin.”

“Fuck that shit.” Spin grumbles and the brothers grin. They keep their mouths closed though, because I’m betting the only real fucker out here not scared of snakes is Ares. The brother would probably catch it with his bare hands and take a bite out of it or some wild shit.

“Shhh! Shut the fuck up!” Smiles growls, and we all still. “Look.” He points, and through the foliage you can make out a large faded building that looks like a cabin.

“Was this what you saw on the satellite map?” Cain asks and Smiles nods.

“Fuck me, I bet we’re here brothers.” Ares murmurs. “Hand signals if possible from here on out.” He glances over at us and we all nod. Then he chin-lifts toward the building and we fall in to follow his lead.

There’s a guy passed out next to the entrance gate with a shot gun on his lap.
Great security so far.
Not that I’m complaining; it’ll make my job easier if anything.

Ares signals for Cain and Exterminator to do a perimeter check. We sit still, hiding out in the tall grass and keep watch for any movement.

After about twenty minutes of us sitting, they return, quietly filling us in.

Cain mumbles, “Eleven inside the cabin, three sitting outside, but I think they’re wasted. We checked every window and no one else was spotted. There’s one female locked outside under a small covered structure, surrounded by a box made up of chain link fencing. There’s a shed out behind the cabin also, but it was locked up from the outside.

“A chick?” Ares gruffly exclaims, his eyes growing angry.

“Yup, bitch looks pretty fucked up too. She’s far enough away though we can torch or blow up the building the eleven Fists are in,” Exterminator grumbles, and when he finishes I think we all take a deep breath.

He likes to blow shit up.

Ares nods, “Where do you need us?”

Cain points to the entrance, “Sharpshooter to watch the gate. There’s two on the east side, but let us take care of them and handle set up around the building. I think the less of us out there, the better chance we have of this working.”

“You got it, brother; if you need us, we have your back.”

Cain nods and I turn to the prospect, “Shooter, you got this?” He’s prior military like myself, hence the name and why he’s a good fit for us so far.

“Yeah man, do I hit him if he moves at all or just to escape.”

“As soon as that building goes up, you put a bullet in him. If he moves sooner than that, then you put a bullet in him. Either way, make sure you kill him before he can shoot at any of us.”

“Roger,” he replies and I grit my teeth. At a time like this, I don’t need any reminders of what the military has cost me.

Huffing, I sit on my ass and place my Glock on my lap. I should be with the brothers, helping take the pieces of shit out, not sitting here with my thumb up my ass like a fucking prospect or something.

Ares glares at me.

“What?” I mouth silently.

“You’re pouting!” he whisper yells and I shake my head.

He nods, glowering, “The fuck’s your issue?”

“I wanted to kill them.” I shrug and he rolls his eyes, turning around to ignore me and pay attention.

A few seconds later, there’s a loud rumble, the ground shaking with the horde of bikes flying toward the entrance, and I swear we almost piss our pants knowing Cain and Exterminator could easily be caught and killed. It wouldn’t be so surprising if the new bikers had already been on the compound when we first arrived, but for them to show up right in the middle of our plans is nerve-racking.

Shooter looks over at me, eyes wide, “D-do I shoot? There’s like twenty of them at the gate!”

I shake my head, rapidly glancing to see Ares doing the same. He puts his hand to his mouth, telling the prospect to shut the fuck up as the gate guard wakes up and the bikers all begin pulling through the entrance, lining their bikes up to park.