Chapter 26

CHAPTER 26

“Coach Driscoll said he’s gonna retire at the end of this school year.”

“First Baptist Church is havin’ their annual pancake night next Saturday.”

“There’s a stomach bug goin’ ’round the schools. Thelma Doss said all four a’ her kids got it last week.”

“Didja hear about them killed bears? Someone told me awhile back ’bout a big pile of ’em shot, cut up, and left out to rot.”

That got several heads to turn and another subject to chew over.

“Oh my goodness, I heard about that. I cain’t remember who told me, but it was somethin’ ’bout poachin’ bein’ on the upswing.”

“Not enough rain coming down. Bears and other wildlife are coming closer to the river and lakes for food sources. There’s been a lot more sightings this past year.”

“They say if you pee on the trees around the campsites, it keeps ’em away.”

I thought about Bryce. He was a ranger, and this was something he had to deal with. I didn’t know much about hunting or regulations, but Tambre had mentioned poaching before, and from what I could tell, it was a big problem. I wondered how dangerous his job was.

Dating. I had no idea what that actually meant, as I’d never really dated anyone before. Now I was dating Bryce. He texted me in the mornings to wish me a good day and again at night to wish Pearl and me a good sleep. Most of our times as a couple were simple. He came by the salon to take me to lunch as often as he could. We held hands in public. Pearl and I spent several evenings at his mom’s house for dinner, and we watched TV together while Pearl played and Natalie stitched. He carried Pearl or held her hand as she toddled along, sometimes swinging between the two of us.

He bought us a Christmas tree in early December and helped me decorate it. My first one ever. It was small, as befitted our apartment, but it didn’t matter. I was excited, and so was Pearl.

She clapped and giggled as we draped way too many lights around the greenery. Bryce laughed at me as I meticulously placed each ornament to make them all even. Whenever we were with each other, he teased me, flirted, or touched me.

What we hadn’t done was sleep together.

Something else I had to do was tell Robert I was with Bryce now. The salon gossip told me that he was back from his recent mission trip and had been for a week or so. I fully expected him to be coming to me for a trim very soon. Perhaps he’d already found out through the town’s grapevine about me and Bryce?

I shook my head to clear my thoughts as Tambre came up to my station. Her mouth was tight and pinched. My boss wasn’t someone to lose her temper, so just seeing her this angry sent wary shards of sharp glass through my gut.

“Kimmie was supposed to be here at ten this morning. It’s going on three.”

“I have no idea where she is. I haven’t seen her in several days.”

This was true, as Pearl and I went shopping with Natalie at the mall on Saturday and spent Sunday with her and Bryce, watching movies at their house and messing around in the kitchen. I finally saw my first cushaw and got to make it into a pie. Kimmie was nowhere to be found, and I’d stopped making any attempt to keep track of her.

Tambre shook her head. “I’m sorry for this, but I can’t keep this up any longer. Kimmie no longer has a job here. I took a chance on hiring people based on a friend’s recommendation, and I got burned. I won’t take that risk again with my business.”

I choked and jerked around as panic clawed at my throat. “Please don’t fire me, Tambre!”

She gave me a serene smile and spoke in a placating tone. “I’m not firing you , dearest. I need good strong people here, and you’re one of the best I have. It’s Kimmie who’s not pulling her weight. Frankly, I kept her on longer than I should have, mostly because I wasn’t sure if you’d leave with her.”

My heart fluttered in relief.

Tambre continued, “If Kimmie asked me for help, I’d be glad to support that, but she’s not there and may never get to that point. Some people can pull themselves out of ruts and forge new paths, and some people are happy where they are.” She paused and then switched subjects. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something for a while now. I’m not getting any younger, and I’ve been thinking about my exit plan.”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Someday, I’d like to sell the place and retire. Or at least have that option. I’ve been toying with the idea of having an assistant manager with the thought of buying me out one day. Neither Bex nor Deandra is interested. If I go that route, think you might be?”

My brain took a hard spin. Part of me wanted to jump at the opportunity. The other part was scared shitless. “I don’t…. How will that work with me being a single mom? I never went to college, just a local vo-tech.”

Tambre nodded. “I get that. I’m not ready to toddle off into the sunset with my walker just yet. I’ll be working here with you and helping you learn just as my mentor helped me. Think about my offer for a bit. No rush. Like I said, I’m not retiring next week or anything, but I’d rather start making some plans now.”

Wow was the only word that came to my mind. Me. An assistant manager. A full manager. A business owner. Was that even possible? It seemed that idea was more of a childhood dream, like wanting to be a princess or a pirate or some other fantasy figure. I used to measure time by the day, with no thought to any kind of real future. Now it was staring me in the face with an opportunity that had never crossed my mind.

I worked through several walk-ins in a partial daze as my brain wandered through this new idea and what it could mean for me and my little girl.

But, like always, something had to come and derail that train.

The bell rang over the door, and all eyes turned to see Kimmie arriving. She shuffled in like she was in pain. “Sorry I’m late. I think I caught that stomach thing that’s been going around.”

I bit my lip as the next client sat in my chair. Everyone there recognized that hangovers weren’t caused by viruses. My best course was to keep quiet. Kimmie was about to get canned, and there wasn’t anything I could do about it.

“Kimmie, I need to talk to you.” Tambre’s voice sounded sterner than a schoolteacher’s.

The shop gossip had died to nothing as the entire salon waited and watched. There was a smidgeon of survivor’s guilt happening in my head, but I had more important things to think about.

“I know I screwed up and I’m late again, but I was really sick this morning. I’ll make up the hours. Promise.”

“You don’t understand. I need to talk to you privately.”

Kimmie must have heard the note in Tambre’s tone. “Why?”

My friend’s single-word question sounded belligerent. This was not going to go well.

“I’m sure you don’t want me to do this publicly.”

Kimmie’s face flashed red and screwed up in an ugly way. “You’re gonna fire me, aren’t you? Well, then, I fucking quit. I’m sick of this shitty town and the shitty people in it. I’m packing my shit and going back to Minnesota. So fucking boring. Nothing but a cheap tourist attraction. Dumb fucking hillbilly assholes!”

The quiet in the salon resembled a funeral home. Not one person said a word or even moved as Kimmie raged. Luckily, she didn’t start throwing anything. Property damage would up the ante, and I doubted Tambre’s calm, forgiving nature reached that far. Mine wouldn’t.

“I’ll pay you cash what you’re owed,” Tambre stated as she opened the register. “Then you can go anywhere you want.”

“Fucking bullshit job. This place is a fucking joke.” Kimmie snatched the money from Tambre’s hand and stomped to the door. She shot a hard glare at me. “You coming with?”

As messed up as our friendship had become, she and I had been through a tough time together. “Kimmie, I….”

“Didn’t think so. Have fun with your stupid preacher. I bet he only fucks in missionary. I know you find that position boring as hell.”

I froze. Panic crawled up my spine. “Kimmie, please….”

Her nose wrinkled up in a nasty sneer. “Don’t fucking think you’re all that, bitch. Remember, I know where you’ve been and what you’ve done!”

“Please don’t?—”

“I’ve seen you crawl across the floor to give a blow job for a twenty. You used to snort up with Rebel and fuck his buddies for drugs. Hell, I bet there wasn’t one man in the Dutchmen MC that you didn’t suck off or fuck. You’d even do two at a time right there on that dirty clubhouse floor with every man in there watching. You’re a fucking club whore, same as me!”

“Get out.”

A new voice, low and menacing, came from the doorway. My breath halted as Bryce stepped inside. To make matters worse, Robert was right behind him.

An invisible hand with black ugly fingers wrapped around my throat, its sharp talons digging into my skin. I couldn’t breathe. My worst nightmare was taking place right here, right now as my past rushed to tear through my future. Secrets I’d planned on taking to my grave were laid out in the open for everyone to hear. Judgment the size of boulders came at me from all sides like a biblical stoning, and their weight was crushing.

Kimmie tried to bluster her way through. “Who the fuck do you think?—”

“I didn’t stutter.”

Kimmie let it go and left, her parting shot echoing around the room. “Fuck this place, and fuck you, too, Opal. Don’t ever forget you’re a fucking slut, and now everyone knows it!”

“That’s it. Tambre, go call Blue.”

“Fuck you too!”

Kimmie roared off in her car, squealing the wheels bad enough that the smell of rubber drifted into the salon.

I was shaking hard enough that my knees threatened to buckle underneath me. I lifted my hands and saw my fingers twitching. Dizziness hit me, and I tried to breathe but nothing happened. I’d forgotten how my lungs were supposed to work. My vision was starting to gray at the edges, and I lost any sense of balance. The roaring in my ears drowned out any other sounds in the salon, and only one word hissed loud enough to be heard.

Whore! Whore! Whore!

An ugly, nasty word describing such disgusting filth that wasn’t worth anyone’s regard or attention.

I was on my way to the floor when two large male hands scooped under my arms and held me up. They were warm. Firm. Their grip kept me from falling.

“I got you.”

Bryce . His strong voice penetrated the dark and brought me back to focus.

“Breathe, baby.”

“Breathe, sweetness.”

My chest opened up, and I filled my lungs slowly, counting to four in my head. I raised my eyes to meet his, and for once, that beautiful hazel shade didn’t bother me. His strong presence and defensive protection were centered on me. Only me.

“Let him in, sweetness.”

Camo’s voice was loud in my imagination. I spoke back to him the same way. What if this is wrong?

“What if it’s right?”

“Show’s over. Let’s get back to it, shall we? Who’s next?” Tambre called out. “Opal, do you need a minute?”

I swear nothing fazed that woman. “I’m fine.” The tears finally broke. “I’m so, so sorry, Tambre. I’m… not that person anymore.”

“If we measured everyone by their past, we’d all be underground. Every person in the world has challenges, some more than others. It’s not the trials that judge us but the way we rise and deal with them after.”

Tambre’s earthy alto floated around me like a warm hug. She couldn’t physically do that, though, as I was still in Bryce’s arms. My legs finally solidified enough to stand, and I took my own weight back. He still didn’t let go.

I didn’t either.

Tambre continued talking. “Believe me, my friend, you’re in good company. All I’m saying is, if you need to take a minute or two, your chair will be here waiting for you.”

My scrambled thoughts failed to order themselves, but one stood out. I wasn’t fired along with my roommate. Or former roommate.

“You got a coat? Grab it and let’s go.”

Bryce’s deep command took over, and I moved with him as he took my hand. I noticed Robert had disappeared, but I didn’t think anything of it. Tambre tossed me my padded jacket, and Bryce led me from the salon.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“Taking a ride.”

“Isn’t it too cold?”

“We’re not going far.”

He held the heavy garment as I slipped my arms into the sleeves and zipped up the front.

“Gloves?”

I pulled out the thick over-the-cuff ones I had in my pockets and put them on. He handed me a full-face helmet he’d pulled from one saddlebag. “It’s my mom’s from when I used to take her riding with me. I keep it in here just in case I ever need it.”

I remembered seeing that same helmet handed to Donna on the night he took her on the Dragon Runners’ final run of their Halloween barbecue. He placed it on my head and tightened the strap under my chin. “Fit okay?”

“Yes.” I sounded hoarse.

“I’ll get you a custom one later. Let’s go.”

I was still foggy as I mounted up behind him. It was the heavy cruiser, and I briefly wondered if he’d brought that one specifically for this purpose. Then we took off in a muted roar.

The wind bit into my jeans, and my legs froze quickly. The last time I rode on the back of a bike was in Minnesota. It didn’t take long for me to find my balance, leaning with Bryce and awakening awareness of the man in front of me. His muscles moved with the motorcycle, and I moved with him, taking cues from his position. He revved, and I braced for the surge of power from the beast underneath us. Bare trees flew by as he made his way along the road, and before I knew it, we were entering the Tail. This was where the skill of the rider became critical. Some curves were gentle, and some were so tight, the physical force made me dizzy. I trusted the man guiding the bike along the Dragon’s spines to keep me out of harm’s way.

As he’d stated, we didn’t go far. He came to a pull-off overlooking a stand of trees covering a mountain vista.

I dismounted as he held the bike steady, tendrils of dread uncoiling in my gut. I was alone with Bryce after having all my secrets exposed in the most brutal way possible.

What happens next?

He pulled off the road at a cleared stopping area with a scenic overlook. Opal dismounted and took the helmet off, handing it to him before walking away. Weatherman stowed it in the saddlebag and observed the woman’s stiff posture, her back tight and her arms clutching themselves as if they were the only things holding her together. He couldn’t blame her, as she was just laid open and raw by someone who was supposed to be a friend.

“You’re a fucking club whore, same as me!”

Kimmie’s nasty words echoed in his mind. There was a story there, and not a pretty one. He’d already made some conclusions about Opal’s past based on what she’d garbled out when she was sick and delusional. He also guessed that there was more to the hairdresser from Minnesota. What he did know for certain was her dedication to her child and making a good life for the both of them.

He kicked out the stand and clicked off the engine before swinging his leg over the seat. The leather chaps squeaked as he made his way to her. He heard the sobs before he reached her, and his heart cracked. Without thinking, he stepped behind her and put his hands up on her shoulders to pull her back against him. “It’s just you and me here, babe. You’re safe.”

She held her breath, and Weatherman held his, waiting for her to shatter like glass. Then she turned to him, buried her head in his leather cut, and let go. He kept silent as she crowned his patch with her tears.

She finally wore herself out, and the calm quiet of the woods took over. The bird sounds and buzz of insects were pretty much gone at this time of year. Only the occasional woody crackle punctuated the air as the trees changed temperature. The bears would be denning by now and had already started their winter sojourn. The Dragon never truly slept even in the winter and waited for whatever confessions Opal would make. It would take her words and hold them for her, absorbing the pain, taking it into itself, and making it disappear to be forgotten.

“Kimmie was right. I was a club whore. I slept with so many men at the Dutchmen MC compound for money or gifts. I didn’t care if they were married or not. I’d let them do things to me, whatever they wanted, just so I might feel loved for a little while. I did drugs with them, whatever they fed me. My favorite was the white powder, and I got hooked on it. At that time, I thought that was where I belonged and the only life I had open to me.”

His heart skipped a few beats, but he held on to her, letting her set the pace as she let out all the poison in her mind.

“I have no idea where my mom is. I turned eighteen, and she was done. I came home after my high school graduation to find the apartment empty and cold. I had a part-time job at a local chicken place, but wasn’t enough to pay rent or much of anything else. The manager was aware I was alone.” She gave a harsh laugh. “My mom told me once that I had to learn how to suck cock and do it well to get and keep a man. He was my first one and paid me twenty bucks afterward. I got desperate one month for rent money, and he paid me fifty for my virginity. He only wanted to pay twenty, but I held out long enough to get more.”

It was hard to hear. The organ in his chest bled at each word. She tried to pull away from him, but he tightened his arms around her. No way would he let her loose while she broke herself down into pieces.

“One of my coworkers told me about the Dutchmen and how I could make some quick, desperately needed money from them. I went there one night and found a different world. I got high for the first time and liked it. It made the sex easier to get through. I was about to be evicted, and that night I earned my back rent.”

Her breath hitched, and fresh tears started dripping onto his leather. She tried again to move away, and he stopped her a second time. “Stay where you are, babe.”

“Why do you want to hear all this shit?”

“I just do. I also think you need to say it. Let me remind you, you’re safe. We’re good at listening. The Dragon, the woods, and me.”

For a moment, he thought she would stop, but she took a few breaths and spilled more secrets.

“The drugs made it simple. Get high, get drunk—or both—and take the money. After a while, it wasn’t so hard to do. There was a part of me that dreamed that one day one of them would love me and help get me out of that life. When I got pregnant with Pearl, I thought her father and I would be together and build the family I never had. His name was Rebel. At first, he was over the moon to be a dad, but it didn’t last long. I got clean when I found out I was going to be a mother, but he didn’t. The white powder was more important than me or her. He left us and died of an overdose before he ever met his daughter.”

His rage ramped up with every tear that fell. Rage at the life Opal had been forced by circumstance to live and the scars it had left behind. No wonder she was so wary of bikers and biker clubs.

“The night she was born, I vowed I would change my life and give her a better one than I ever had. They called me Peebles when I was in that club. I decided never to be Peebles again and to be Opal instead. It was the easiest and, at the same time, the hardest decision I’ve ever made. Mama J, I’ve mentioned her before, took me and Pearl in while I went to school to earn my cosmetology license. I don’t think I could have done it if I hadn’t had her help.”

“She’s the one with six kids, right?”

“Yes. She has a story herself of struggle as a single mom, but she made it on the other side and is happy with a thriving business and a good man at her side.”

His phone buzzed in his back pocket, and he had to let her loose to take a quick look at the screen. The message wasn’t about his mom but from Mute.

Mute: Tambre called. Betsey has been activated. Getting the boys together for their help. Got your woman covered here at the Lair.

He stifled the smile of relief as he slipped the phone back into its spot. Betsey’s biggest talent in this world was empathy and healing. She was good at it, and once she took someone to her heart, they stayed there.

He lifted Opal’s hand and pulled her over to the high fenced railing to lean against the cold metal. He could see her face now. “I imagine it was a big struggle at times.”

She barked a short laugh. “Only every single day. I attended Narcotics Anonymous meetings and fought the constant cravings. Still fight them sometimes. So many times, it would have been easy to give up and go back to the white powder, but what would happen to my little girl?” She definitively shook her head. “No. Not gonna happen. Ever.”

“So, this guy Rebel is—or rather was—Pearl’s father. Can you tell me who Camo is?”

She startled. “How do you know that name?”

He stroked a hand over her cheek and brushed away the wetness there. “You mentioned him the night you got so sick. You thought I was him a few times.”

Her face changed, eyes closing and her mouth pressing inward as if trying to keep from bursting apart. “He… he was my first real boyfriend. I used to ride behind him. Camo was his road name.” She brushed at her eyes and sniffed, then reached out to the wet spot on his chest. “Excuse me. I didn’t mean to make a mess on your cut. It just catches me off guard sometimes.”

“Did you love him?”

She nodded in the affirmative. “Yes. He was the only person who ever truly cared for me. He picked me up when I was at the lowest point and rescued me, and he loved me and my daughter when I was convinced no one would. Never judged me or put me down or made me feel like I was less because of some of the bad decisions I made. I thought we would have a great little life together, all three of us, a house with a fenced yard, a dog and cat. But he… he….”

Fresh tears poured down her face. Weatherman let her cry for a moment as he shifted his arms around her in a loose hug from behind, and she leaned into him. “What happened?”

Opal’s voice broke. He heard the crack as she fragmented into a thousand pieces. Her words came out in a ragged gasp of air as if shards of glass tore through her throat. “He didn’t just die. He… he was… killed while trying to protect me! Shot in the heart.”

Weatherman inhaled, taking in the scent of the surrounding icy pine. He wasn’t expecting that answer, yet he wasn’t surprised. The level of pain radiating from this woman was off the scale; therefore, something tragic had to have happened. Losing someone you loved had to be the hardest situation any person dealt with. It didn’t matter if it was watching them slowly die of a nasty disease or go in a matter of seconds by a bullet. Grief was grief. Pain was pain.

He wrapped his arms as tightly as he could against her body. “I’m sorry. So sorry for all the shit you’ve been through, babe.” He had no other words of comfort or wisdom. He wished he had more to give, but all he could really do was hold her and check his reactions. Part of him wanted to get Pearl and wrap mother and daughter up in a protective bubble until they were completely insulated from the bad stuff in the world. The other part of him wanted to drive to Minnesota and throat-punch the assholes who’d hurt his woman.

Yeah, he told himself, she’s my woman now.

More sobs escaped her throat, and she visibly fought against letting them out. Weatherman didn’t know if he should be impressed by her control or frustrated by her stubbornness. His chest pressed tightly against her back, and her head rested on his shoulder. He tipped his head forward and rested his chin on her hair.

“We were just getting started when it happened. I had some trouble with a bad deputy. Corrupt cop thing. He’d… stopped me a few times and demanded… favors to not give me a ticket.”

Anger jolted in Weatherman’s throat. He didn’t have to think hard about what she meant by “favors.”

“I had no power. No standing. No support until Camo gave it to me. I told the cop no more, and one night he tried to force me. Beat me up pretty bad. I thought I was gonna die, but I called Camo before I got out of the car and left my phone on so he knew where to find me. He came with some of his friends. I was on the ground bleeding and heard shots. When I woke up in the hospital, they told me… they told me….”

She whimpered, and he barely heard her hoarse whisper. “Camo gave his life to save me. I’m not worthy of that. It’s my fault he died. All my fault.”

Weatherman squeezed, adding his strength to hers, holding her together. His rage mixed with sorrow and admiration at this woman’s strength. To have been through such an emotional ordeal and survived was amazing. Add that to her addiction battle, and the level of power it took to overcome everything made it awe-inspiring. She had scars, deep ones, but she’d lived through it and found a way to move on. Healing took a lot of time, and he could tell she was in that process and would be for a while yet.

He didn’t have to think about it long—he simply made his plans to be a part of it. “It’s not your fault. I’m not going to list the reasons why, ’cause I bet you’ve heard them a dozen times already. You’re still grieving, and you’re allowed to do that as long as you need to. I’m here. My mom is here. Betsey, Brick, Table, Lori, all the Dragon Runners are here for you. I told you I’d keep you safe, and I meant it. Camo sounds like he could have been one of us. A brother. I wish I could have met him.”

He pressed his face into her neck. “Also, babe, don’t ever let me hear you say you’re not worthy. With what you’ve been through and what you’ve had to do to get to this place, right here, right now, there’s no one who deserves a chance at a good life more than you. I hope you’ll get used to the idea of me being around to watch you grow and see what’s next. I can’t be Camo, but I can be the man in your life if you’ll let me.”

Opal didn’t pull away from him, nor did she turn around. The woods remained still in hushed reverence at this turning point. She finally spoke in a husky tone. “I don’t know what to do. I… feel something for you, but I’m scared. So damn scared of loving again. The two men I thought I had a future with were taken from me. I don’t think I can handle losing that one more time.”

Something released in his chest. She wasn’t rejecting him or the idea of being with him. He imagined there were some men who would hear her story and run for the hills. He wasn’t that kind of man. It would take patience and perseverance to make this work, but he had never failed at any goal he’d set for himself in his life. He wouldn’t fail at this one either. “I can wait. It’s been a heavy day, and we don’t have to make any decisions just yet. I do need to tell you something. Mute texted me, and Betsey knows what went down at the salon. She’s taken it upon herself to rally the boys and get you set up at the Lair for the night. I hope you have it in you to let her do that for you.”

“I don’t want to be trouble.”

His chuckle puffed her hair. “Trust me, babe. It’ll be more trouble if you don’t let her take care of you. I’d prefer to take you home with me, but I don’t dare go against Betsey when she’s on a mission.”

“Why would she want someone like me in her home?”

He breathed in to take in the scent of her hair. Some sort of coconut-lime shampoo. “Betsey is a rarity in this world. She’s the least judgmental person I’ve ever met and has no problem twisting herself into knots to help someone in need. The only time I’ve ever seen her go after anyone is when one of her people gets hurt. No one will tangle with her when she’s in mama bear mode. She considers you one of us already. I promise, if you take a chance with the club and with me, you’ll never be alone.”

He waited as she made up her mind.

“Okay.”