SHADES: An Evil Dead MC Story (The Outlaw Series Book 3) (28 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

The next morning, Skylar was sitting at the bar with Shades and Ghost, eating scrambled eggs and bacon off a paper plate. A couple of the old ladies had come in and made breakfast. There were several other club members up and eating breakfast as well, Blood and Sandman, Undertaker and Mooch.

She looked over at the man who was her father. She knew Shades was anxious to get back on the road, but in a strange way she was going to miss her father, and she was dragging her feet over breakfast.

Most of the men were through, even with their second helpings, and were now sipping on coffee. She appeared to be the only one still slowly eating.

Movement at the end of the bar to her right caught her eye, and she saw her father get up off his barstool and head toward her, his eyes on her. She turned her head as he stopped behind her.

“I want to talk to you, Skylar.”

She looked at Shades and then nodded, slipping off her stool to follow her father. He led her upstairs and to his office. She stood in the middle of the room as he moved behind his desk, opened a drawer and retrieved an item. Then he came around the desk to stand before her.

“I’ve got something for you. Something your mother would want you to have.” He looked down at his hand, and her eyes followed his. A silver chain was looped over the fingers of one hand, and a pendant rested in the palm of his other.

He handed it to her. It was a marcasite diamond shaped pendant with four small pear shaped onyx stones in each corner. It was beautiful.

“I got that for her on a trip we took together to Sturgis. She always loved it.” He swallowed and then continued. “One day while I was inside…”

“You mean prison?”

He nodded. “A letter came. It was her handwriting on the envelope.” He nodded toward the necklace. “That was all that was inside. No note. No letter. Just that. I figured that was her way of telling me she was through.” He shrugged.

Skylar looked from his sad face down to the pendent. She’d always wanted something of her mother’s. Her eyes started to pool. She looked up at her father. “Thank you.”

His eyes moved over her face, taking in her teary eyes. Then he swallowed and moved behind her. “Here. Let me put it on you.”

She lifted her hair aside and stood still while he fastened the latch at the back of her neck. Then he stepped back, and she turned to him, fingering the pendant. “How does it look?”

He smiled. “Beautiful. Like you. Like your momma.”

“Thank you.”

He hugged her tight, and then just as suddenly released her as if uncomfortable with the emotions he was feeling. “Okay. Good talk.”

They walked downstairs, and as they approached the bar, Shades slid off his stool, his eyes searching hers.

“Butcher called. Wants us to swing by the Gulf Coast Chapter on our way back.”

“For what?”

“I just need to check on some things. We’ll probably stay overnight there.”

Skylar groaned internally at the thought of staying at another clubhouse, but she didn’t say anything.

“You ready?” he asked.

She nodded.

She noticed Blood and Sandman slinging packs over their shoulders.

“Let’s get this show on the road already,” Blood growled as he headed toward the door.

Skylar frowned and looked at Shades questioningly. “They’re coming with us?”

Shades eyes moved to Undertaker, and then back to her. “Daddy’s orders.”

She whirled on him. “What? Why?”

“Because you’re my daughter. I’m makin’ sure you’re safe.”

“You don’t need to do this.”

“Don’t give me any mouth about this, baby-girl. You don’t get a say. It’s a done deal.”

Shades bent to grab his pack, apparently already reconciled to this change in plans.

“But—”

“Done. Deal.”

Ghost came up behind her and whispered in her ear, “This world you’re in now, it’s a man’s world, Hotrod. Better get used to it.”

She turned her head and rolled her eyes at him.

Shades turned with his pack over his shoulder and looked at Skylar. “Come on.”

Undertaker stepped in front of her. He took her in his arms and hugged her gruffly. When he released her and looked down at her, he appeared choked up, his jaw tight.

“Skylar?”

“Yes?”

“See ya.” Then he ambled off toward the stairs to his office.

Mooch watched him leave, and then turned to her as her eyes followed her father as he disappeared up the stairs.

“I hope you know how hard that was for him,” Mooch informed her with a grin.

Her eyes came to him and she nodded, the corner of her mouth pulling up at his joking words. Then Shades had her elbow in his gentle hold and was leading her toward the door.

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

They blasted down I-10 and exited onto the beach expressway. Two and a half hours after they pulled out of Slidell, Louisiana, they were rolling into Gulf Shores on the Alabama gulf coast. Skylar could smell the ocean several blocks before she saw the blue water. The sun was setting as they pulled up at a light behind several cars. They had ridden two by two all the way from New Orleans, and they stopped in the same formation. Shades and Ghost. Blood and Sandman behind them.

Shades looked over at Ghost and shouted over the rumbling engines. “You guys go on, I’m gonna make a stop, pick up some shit. I’ll meet you out there.”

Ghost nodded. “We’ll stop and pick up some beer and ice.”

Shades nodded back.

“This Gulf Coast Chapter you talked about, are we staying at their clubhouse tonight?” Skylar asked Shades over his shoulder.

“No, babe.”

“Then where are we staying?”

“Ghost has an aunt with a beach house out in Fort Morgan.” He nodded toward the road to the right and the road sign above that indicated the turn for Fort Morgan. “She lets him use it once in a while when she’s out of town. Lucky for us she’s at a reunion in Charleston and won’t be back until mid-week.”

When the light changed, Shades went straight, and Ghost and the others made a right turn onto Hwy 180, the road that led out to Fort Morgan. Shades drove down a couple blocks and pulled into the parking lot of a huge souvenir store.

They both climbed off the bike. Skylar looked up at the huge, two-story building with the glass front and huge shark hanging in the atrium visible through the glass. “What are we doing here?”

Shades just grinned at her. “You’ll see.”

He took her hand and led her inside. Then he led her through the store, past displays of cups, mugs, key-chains, refrigerator magnets and an assortment of things made from seashells. They wended their way through racks and racks of tee-shirts and sweatshirts. Skylar tried to look at things as Shades pulled her along, moving with purpose through the store. Until he stopped suddenly, and she plowed into his back. Apparently he’d reached his destination. She looked around. They’d arrived at the swimsuit section. Her eyes traveled over the racks of bikinis. She looked up at him questioningly.

He grinned back. “Pick one out, darlin’.”

Her brows rose. “Seriously?”

“You got five minutes. I’ll meet you in front. Make it sexy.” Then he winked and walked off. She watched him grab a pair of men’s trunks as he headed toward the register.

She turned back to the racks and quickly began flipping through the hangers.

Twenty minutes later, they were heading down Fort Morgan Road. Civilization fell away and they passed under a canopy of trees, Spanish moss swaying in the breeze. There was sand on either side of the road. After several minutes, the trees opened up, and the bay appeared on the right. Several miles down, they made a left turn and rode a couple blocks to the shore. They made a right and rode along the beachfront homes. Shades pulled down a drive that was barely visible in the sand and pulled up to a bright pink house. It was up on stilts, beachfront facing the Gulf, the blue water visible beyond the stilts. The place didn’t look like much from the outside. In fact, it looked kind of rundown with its peeling paint. A line of bikes was parked under the house. The guys having stopped to load up on beer, ice and booze, judging by the bottles and bags they were carting in, had arrived just ahead of them. Ghost was heading up the stairs to unlock the door.

Skylar and Shades dismounted and climbed the stairs, following the men as they trooped inside. There was an open floor plan with a kitchen on the right, a long bar between it and the living area. On the left was a small dining table. Straight ahead in the living area was a couch facing the windows that revealed the partially covered deck beyond. On one side sat a love seat, and a chair and ottoman on the other. A flat screen TV sat on a stand at an angle in the corner. There was an open doorway on the right and another on the left.

“There are two bedrooms and a bath on each side of the house,” Ghost explained, pointing toward both doorways. “So pick a room, guys.”

Skylar walked over to one side and checked out one of the bedrooms. It faced the Gulf with its own wall of windows. A large queen bed, with a nightstand on either side, faced the gorgeous view.

Shades walked in behind her and tossed their bags on the bed. Then he approached her from behind and wrapped his arms around her as she stood at the window admiring the view. The sand was sugar white, and the ocean was deep blue.

“It’s so beautiful.”

“We can open a window tonight and listen to the surf roll in with the tide all night.”

“I love this place.”

“You’ve been here two minutes.”

“I don’t care. I love it. I never want to leave.”

Shades kissed her neck. “Come on, babe.”

He took her hand and led her back to the main living area. The door to the deck stood open, and the ocean breeze beckoned them outside. They joined the others out on the deck.

“My God, I could throw a rock and hit the surf, the water is so close,” Skylar exclaimed.

Shades smiled at her.

Ghost pulled a cooler out and loaded it with beer. Then he broke a bag of ice open and dumped it over it.

“You guys hit the quick-rip?” Shades asked, watching Ghost.

“Nah, I wanted to get a few pounds of shrimp to boil so we stopped at the grocery store.”

“The three of you in a grocery store? I can only imagine.” Shades chuckled.

“It was all going fine till Blood almost got us kicked out of there,” Ghost replied with a grin aimed at Blood.

Blood gave his best ‘what are you looking at me for’ look and replied, “What, her kid was running all over the store like a little terror and
I’m
the bad guy for tripping him?”

Sandman snorted.

Ghost hit him with a look. “You were no better. ‘Lady, can’t you count to ten?’”

Sandman grinned. “Hey, we were in the express lane, and she had thirty-seven items. It was a fair question.”

Shades shook his head with a smile and moved behind Skylar, wrapping his arms around her. He whispered in her ear, “Go get that bikini on.”

She twisted her head to look up at him. “Are you going in with me?”

He winked at her. “Gotta talk to the guys a minute.”

She moved off to do as he’d asked.

Shades watched her go as Ghost handed him a cold one.

“Did I hear she’s puttin’ a bikini on? Is that what that detour was about?” Ghost asked with a grin.

Shades twisted the bottle top off and leaned back against the railing as Ghost did the same. “Hell, yeah. I’m not gonna pass up a chance to see her in a bikini, am I? Do I look like a stupid man to you?”

Ghost grinned. “Guess not.”

Shades looked over at the men seated at the glass patio table. They looked out of place at a beach house, sitting on the deck in their boots and leather, kicked back smoking cigarettes and drinking beer.

“I made a call earlier. Boys from the Gulf Chapter are gonna meet up with us later tonight.”

“Where?” Blood asked.

“Place on the Florida-Alabama state line.”

Blood nodded and looked down at his smoke. “Heard you’ve had some trouble down here.”

Shades stared at him until Blood’s eyes lifted to meet his, then he nodded. “That’s what I’m here to find out.”

“What exactly are you lookin’ for?”

Shades shrugged. “Whatever seems off. Shit’s not right with this chapter. I’m gonna get to the bottom of it. Tonight.”

“You leavin’ Skylar here at the house?”

“Yeah.”

“What time’s this meet?”

“Ten.”

Just then Skylar appeared in the doorway and caught Shades’ eye. His gaze moved over her. Hot damn, but she was gorgeous. She was in a hot-pink string bikini, her long dark hair cascading over her shoulders to fall at her waist.

The guys turned to look.

“Come here, gorgeous.” Shades held his hand out to her, and she moved toward him. His hand went to the bare curve of her waist and he pulled her close. His head dipped in for a kiss. He looked down at her and grinned, his hand sliding to her hip, his thumb brushing up and down along her skin. Then he pulled her into his arms and glanced up at his brothers.

“She’s fuckin’ mine, boys. All mine.”

“Show off!” Ghost said.

Shades grinned.

“You coming?” she asked, looking up at him.

He looked over her head at his brothers, who were all smart enough to keep silent at her double entendre, even though he knew there were a lot of catcalls on the tip of their tongues. He noticed their eyes moving over her bare back, down over her ass and long legs.

“Eyes on your own paper.”

“What? You’re the one that paraded her out here in that,” Ghost replied.

He looked down at her smiling face. “You go on in. I’ll be there in a minute.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

She looked toward the water. “You think there are any sharks around?”

“Baby, the only sharks you need to worry about are up on this deck.”

She smiled and slugged him in the gut.

“Just stay close to shore.” He kissed her, and she skipped down the stairs and into the sand. He turned to watch her walk across the beach toward the surf. There were beach houses to the right and left as far as the eye could see, but the beach was uncrowded, almost deserted.

He turned back and moved to go inside to change.

“You are one lucky son-of-a-bitch,” Blood said, tilting his beer up.

Shades grinned at him. “Luck had nothing to do with it.”

****

Hours later they sat around the table out on the deck eating shrimp that Ghost had boiled. Peeling the shells off and tossing them onto a platter in the center of the table, the pile rising higher and higher.

“We need more cocktail sauce,” Blood announced.

“I’ll get it,” Skylar replied, standing up. She was still in her bikini, but she had the matching pareo she’d bought tied around her hips.

“Shake what your momma gave ya, sugar,” Sandman teased.

She did a little shimmy and giggled. Then she moved into the house and found Ghost in the kitchen draining another pot of boiled shrimp. He looked up and smiled at her.

“Another batch coming right up.”

Skylar smiled back at him. “Good thing. They’re almost through the last bowl you carried out.”

“Well, this is the last of them. You need something, Hotrod?”

“More cocktail sauce.”

Ghost nodded toward the refrigerator. “I think there’s another bottle in the door.”

She opened it and found one. As she pulled it out, she noticed some bottles on one of the shelves. “Corona!”

Ghost looked over. “Those are my aunt’s. I’m sure she won’t mind. Go ahead and have one. There are probably limes in there somewhere, too.”

“Awesome.” She set the sauce and beer down and dug out a lime. Ghost slid her a small cutting board and knife. She sliced up the lime and put a wedge in her beer.

“Make me one, too, will you?” Ghost asked.

She smiled at him. “Sure.”

They carried out the shrimp and sauce and their beers and sat down with the others.

Skylar took a sip of her beer, and it caught the eye of Sandman.

“Beer with fruit. I never got that,” he commented.

“You ever tried it?” Ghost asked.

“Nope.”

Ghost passed him his beer, and he took a slug.

“Damn, that’s good.”

“Beats the hell out of that Clydesdale piss
you
drink,” Ghost advised with a smirk.

Sandman looked down at the bottle in his hand. “Beer with fruit, who knew.”

They all chuckled.

“Get your own.” Ghost grabbed his beer back.