Sanctuary (Freaks MC Book 2) (11 page)

THIRTEEN

Bugs wandered around the wreck of a house, pulling at window frames, poking drywall and bouncing on floorboards. The agent was hiding somewhere – too terrified to interject – as the inspection continued while Deke leaned on the kitchen counter and awaited the verdict. “So, can it be fixed?”

“Would probably be cheaper to pull it down and start again. There's a lot of water damage. The whole roof needs replacing - and the windows. New electrics, floors, doors. There's dry rot, woodworm. Fuck man, nothing here is salvageable. No way you can put this right on your budget.”

Deke looked out of the window to where Emma was sitting on the fence at the end of the yard. For the first time since moving here, she looked genuinely happy. Shit. He was going to break her heart. “Fuck.” He straightened up and headed for the back door. “I guess I better go an' break the bad news to my ol' lady.”

She looked up and her smile faded at the expression on his face as she slid from her perch and walked slowly towards him. “I want this house, Deke.”

“I know. But there's no way we can afford it. I'm sorry, baby.”

“
I know it would take a while, but...” She looked around. In the distance between the trees, glinting on the horizon, he could see the ocean. “I need this... This space. Everything within my budget is in the city, or has no land. I can't live in the city, Deke. I just can't.”

This was his fault. He knew if she stayed in that fucking apartment, she was going to shrivel and die. “There might be a way.” Already he knew this was a bad idea. “There are jobs I can take... they bring in good money, but I'd be away a lot.”

“Away where?”

“
Mostly the east coast, but could be anywhere. I'd be away for months at a time.”

“
Doing what?”

He shook his head and looked around. Already in his mind's eye, he could see the girls scratching around in their run and his girl baking in her sunny kitchen and puttering around her vegetable plot. “You know I can't tell you that.”

“These jobs pay well because they are risky.” A statement, not a question.

Drug running. Hunting down rats. Extortion.... Murder
. “Yeah. I guess.”

“
No. I'll keep looking.” She couldn't quite hide the regret in her eyes. “I don't want you doing that for me.”

“
I'll be doing it for us, baby girl. Put in an offer on this place. I'll be around for a while. Wolf needs me here, and I got some cash stashed. Yeah, I'll be away more. But that was always gonna happen some, and it ain't gonna be forever.” He bent and kissed her. “We'll figure it out.”

~ oOo ~

“I gotta head out.”

Emma looked up from her laptop as he kissed the top of her head. “Will you be home this evening?”

“Doubt it.” He moved on to her neck. “I'll let you know. Will you....”

“
It's fine, Deke. I know how this works.” She closed her eyes as he nibbled at the sweet spot just below her earlobe. “Go.”

As soon as the door closed, she went back to her calculations. No matter how she juggled the figures, she couldn't make it add up. They couldn't afford that house.

With a sigh, she closed the laptop and picked up her cell. “Beth? Hi. Are you busy? I could really use some company.”

As she followed Beth into her immaculate kitchen, it was hard for her not to be impressed with how, as a mother of two young children, she managed to always look so well-groomed. Self-consciously, she tucked her stray curls into her hairband and straightened her dress. “I'm not stopping you from doing anything important, am I?”

“
Crappy diapers, and toddler tantrums.” Beth smiled. “Any distraction is gratefully received. So how are you finding Seattle?”

“
Noisy.” Emma sighed and took the offered coffee. “I'm starting to go a little stir crazy, I think.”

“
How's the house hunting going?”

Emma shrugged. “We went to look at the house near Aberdeen again.”

“Really? I hope Samson talked you out of making an offer.” Beth grinned. “Take it from me, whatever you think it will cost to fix it up – double it, then add some. This place will keep us poor till the day we die.”

“
You love it, though?”

“
Yeah.” She smiled and jiggled the little girl on her lap. “It's worth every penny.”

“
Deke thinks I should put in an offer. He reckons if he takes some jobs on the east coast, we can afford it.”

Beth frowned. “Which leaves you back where you started, except you'll be stuck in the middle of nowhere with no friends and he'll be away even more than when you were in Idaho. There must be something else, Emma.”

“I don't know. I hate the thought of Deke spending months away doing... God knows what, so that I can have the house I want. But the longer I spend renting, the less money I have to buy anywhere with. I've been looking for a job. Deke saw one in a diner nearby, and as I was on my way here, I saw that there was a vacancy at the gas station just down the road.”

“
No!” Emma looked at her new friend, surprised at her vehemence. “Don't work there. It... It's not a good place.”

“
Oh. Okay.” Again, she got the impression that there was more to that statement than it was just a bad place to work. She smiled. “I guess I'll check out the diner. I need to start painting again, but the apartment is too small and noisy, and I dunno. I'm not feeling inspired, I guess.” She took a sip of her coffee. “So, how are the girls settling in?”

“
Good, I think. Although I'm not sure what an unhappy chicken looks like. They haven't laid any eggs yet, but Samson said that they might take a while to settle. This one loves them, though.” She kissed Abigail on the top of her head. “You might not get them back.”

Emma grinned. “Oh you'd know if they were miserable. You should see eggs in a few days, although a couple of them don't lay any more. They're pretty old.”

As they chatted about other things – the kids, how eager Beth was to return to work, Emma's painting – it occurred to Emma how unlike her preconceptions of an old lady Beth was. She was just like any mother and wife. The only clue to who her husband was hung on a hook near the back door. Beth followed her gaze and smiled. “Until he puts on that cut, he's just like any other husband and father.”

Emma knew that wasn't entirely true, but she did understand. “How do you manage to stay so calm?”

“You think I'm calm? Every time he puts that on and steps out of the door, I'm terrified. According to him, it's just a run, or a few drinks with his brothers and often that's all it is, but... “ Beth sighed. “You have no idea how many nights I've laid awake, or willed the phone to ring, then freaked out when it did.”

“
Did you ever have any doubts?”

“
About being with Joe? No. Never. Are you having second thoughts?”

Emma shook her head. “I love Deke. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't apprehensive, though. I know he loves me, but…”

“But the club will always come first.” Beth set her daughter on the floor and watched as she trotted to the living room. “Don't wake up your brother, sweetie. It isn't an easy life, and the only advice I can give you is to hold on tight. Not just to him, but yourself as well. MCs don't have a good record when it comes to women. At best they're sexist, at worst.... well let's just say, it's unusual for one to jump in if he sees his brother slapping a woman around. Joe is a good guy – he's been raised by a strong woman – and Samson is one of the sweetest guys I've ever known. But the club shapes who they are, and if you're not careful, it will shape you, too.” The sound of Luke crying interrupted her. “Oh way to go, Abs.” Beth stood, “I guess he'll be hungry.”

While Beth nursed Luke, Emma and Abi went to visit the chickens. They looked happy enough, although she couldn't help but feel a little guilty. The run was smaller than she would've liked, but the coop was clean and there was fresh water and plenty of grain in the feeder. “Chuck chuck.” The little girl poked her fingers through the wire, giggling as they pecked at her fingertips in their search for food. Emma got the feeling the girls had found their forever home. For the next hour, they dug around the flower bed with Abi's little trowel in search of worms, only returning to the house when Beth called to say lunch was ready.

“Well look at you two.” Beth laughed. “Did you find lots of worms?”

Emma looked down at the grubby knees and hands. “Yup. We found lots, didn't we Abs?”

Abi nodded sagely. “Fat worms an' snails an' an'...” She looked up at Emma.

“
Beetles.”

“
Beels. For da chucks.”

“
Good for you. Now go and get cleaned up, I'm sure Emma will help you.”

Lunch consisted of baked potatoes, cheese and salad. Emma ate quietly as the little girl babbled about fat worms and chucks. Beth grinned. “Looks like you've made a friend.”

“She's cute – they both are. You have a lovely family, Beth.”

“
Thanks. What about you? You want kids?”

She shrugged and decided that now was a good time to change the subject. “Abi really loves the chickens. How about when I finally find somewhere to live, I leave Samantha and Viv with you. I'll take Fiona, because she's a psycho and Carol and Wendy cuz they're broken. You'll get fresh eggs every day, and they're easy to take care of.”

“That would be great. I'll check with Joe, but I'm sure he'll be cool. I think he secretly likes them.”

Spending time with Beth and the kids had proven to be a great decision. Rather than sitting at home staring at a blank canvas or willing the phone to ring, she sat at Beth's big table drawing snails and beetles with Abi and sharing gardening tips with her mom.

A nice normal afternoon.

~ oOo ~

Samson leaned on the warehouse wall and watched impassively as Tiny winched his victim by his wrists up to the rafters.

No one fucked with the Freaks, and it was time to send that message loud and clear. Pulling out a pack of cigarettes, he took one and, lighting it, walked over to where that Serpiente piece of shit was hanging. “Smoke?”

“Fuck you, cracker.”

“
Suit yourself.” He took a long pull and blew the smoke into the Mexican's face. “You must be pretty pissed at your buddies, huh? Riding off and leaving you like that. I guess brotherhood don't mean that much to you assholes. Your bike's fucked, by the way. ” He chuckled and nodded to a clearly broken ankle. “Not that you're in any state to ride it. Oh an' those gangbangers you were supposed to be meeting? They kinda got tired of breathing.”

Walking back to the wall, he leaned back and grinned. “Now it would be nice if you could be all cooperative an' shit, cuz between you an' me I got no stomach for torture – call me a pussy if you like – but I'd much rather kill you nice and clean. I ain't happy with you running smack through our turf or paying those punks to cook up crank, an' I'm even less happy with you targeting our girls. But, hey. I ain't a vindictive man. You answer my questions nice an' polite an' I'll make sure my brother over there stays on his leash.”

“Not saying shit to you. So you might as well kill me now.”

“
I could. But Tiny... Well, he likes to play, an' I kinda promised him that if you didn't play nice with me, he could have his fun. You should see the stuff he's got in that bag over there. Real medieval shit, an' his knowledge of anatomy... Shit. What he don't know ain't worth knowing. He's good, too. Not only can he keep a person alive for days – Hell, weeks sometimes – he can keep 'em conscious.” He shrugged. “Still, if you're determined not to say anything... Tiny, he's all yours. Don't take his tongue, though. He might change his mind.”

“
You got it, boss.” Tiny opened his bag and pulled out an innocuous looking metal, pear shaped object.

“
Whatcha got there, bro? Looks like a butt plug.”

“
It's called a pear of anguish.” Tiny grinned and began undoing his victim’s fly. “Hold his legs, boss. I don't wanna get kicked.”

“
So what does it do?”

Slowly Tiny turned the screw on one end and the four leaves opened up into a flower shape. “Pretty ain't it? You should see some of the originals, brother. Real elaborate. Spikes and everything. This is kinda rudimentary, but I reckon it'll work just fine.” Tiny grinned and closed it again. “Apparently having one jammed up your ass hurts like a motherfucker. Let's find out, shall we.” His grin got wider. “Stuff that rag in his mouth, he's gonna scream like a bitch.”

“You are one sick fuck, Tiny.” Samson picked up an oily rag from the floor. “Take it away, brother.”

“
No! No! Wait!.”

“
The heroin routes.” Samson put his hands on the writhing man's shoulders and pushed down, grinning as he heard the pop of a dislocating shoulder. “Where and when.”