Page 5 of Big Easy

BIG EASY

"Damn." I hang my head as Slider delivers the unfortunate news.

"You tried, Prez." My VP does his best to affirm my efforts, but his words do nothing to lessen the sting of Roxy's overdose.

After we took care of Cash, I had sent Grim back to Roxy's place and offered her an opportunity to get help through a rehab facility.

Initially, she agreed. I was in the process of reaching out to my sources when Slider walked into my office here at the nightclub.

One last fix. That's all it took to alter her life forever.

One of the other girls went by to check on her this morning when she wouldn't answer her phone and found her unconscious behind the wheel of her car sitting in her driveway.

"Do they expect her to make it?"

Slider lights a cigarette. "Her sister said her diagnosis isn't lookin' good."

Downing what's left of my coffee sitting in front of me, I stand.

"Keep me updated and let her baby sister know Hades Outlaw is here should she need us," I tell Slider, knowing Roxy and her sister only have each other and no other family.

Fucking depressing knowing there isn't a damn thing any of us can do now but wait. Life waits for no one.

"Already taken care of," Slider informs me as he rises from his chair. A few minutes later, he and I sit at a table with Grim, Brewer, and Bite while we watch one of three women auditioning exit the stage.

"Not bad," Grim states. "She could give Vegas a run for her money."

Lifting my phone from the table, I look at the time.

Our asses need to be at the hospital in two hours.

"Let's wrap this up. Hire all three. Put them on a probationary period.

" I stand. "Bite, have Ivy get their paperwork and hours taken care of.

I'm heading home to wash off the smell of smoke and cheap perfume.

I suggest the rest of you do the same. We meet back here and ride to the hospital together," I finish my orders, and my brothers push from the table.

Riding alongside my brothers as we cross the bridge heading toward the hospital, my thoughts drift to Uncle Wyatt.

He's the reason we are attending the charity event.

We were all shocked in the end that it was cancer that took his life.

He lived hard and put his body through all kinds of hell along the way.

He lived by the gun and was prepared to die by it.

By the time he was diagnosed, Uncle Wyatt's cancer was stage four.

I have to say, just as he did everything in life, he grabbed cancer by the balls and fought back with every ounce of venom and strength he had left in his body. For nearly a year, he gave his all.

Every year since his death, the club donates their time, and the men open their wallets to give back to the Cancer Center.

The bike ride to where the event is held is short and consumed by memories of my past. The club is one of the major sponsors of today's crowdfunding event.

We offer our time by cooking up some food.

The club is operating smokers and grills for a few hours to feed the hundreds of people in the community who are showing up to partake in all the events today, all designed to raise money.

A crowd has already trickled into the city park area. Many eyes fall upon us as we roll our Harleys near the tent we will occupy. Kids from the nearby youth center come running toward us as we park our bikes and shut off the engines.

"You guys are so cool." Johnny, an eight-year-old boy Grim started mentoring through the big brother program about three months ago, runs up to him. Grim ruffles the kid's shaggy red hair.

"How's it goin', kid?" Grim asks him.

"Where's Rylee?" Johnny asks. Just as the words leave his mouth, the women appear, wearing white running clothes covered in a rainbow of colors from participating in the color run. "Hey," she greets her man, Grim, along with a kiss. "Sorry, we weren't here when you arrived."

The other ladies follow suit, greeting their men.

"Hey, Rylee." Johnny's face lights up in her presence.

"Hey, squirt." Rylee smiles and hugs him.

Johnny turns, looking at me as I walk beneath the tent. "Big Easy, when I grow up, can I be a Hades Outlaw and have myself a girlfriend like Rylee too?"

I chuckle at his seriousness and grin.

"Hey kid, you tryin' to steal my girl?" Grim looks at Johnny.

Johnny peers up at Grim. "A brother doesn't mess with his brother's woman, Grim."

"Keep that attitude, kid, and no doubt in my mind you would make a great club member one day," I tell him.

"You having a good time?" Rylee asks Johnny.

Grim's old lady, Rylee, helps at the youth center in her spare time.

She loves kids. Giving back to those families who struggle is crucial because she, too, had a pretty rough upbringing.

It didn't take much convincing to get Grim on board with becoming a big brother.

I watch my Enforcer interact with the young boy as they prepare a grill for cooking.

He lost his twin brother at the age of twelve in a tragic car accident.

I also suspect Rylee feels Grim's involvement with the kid might convince him to finally start a family.

"Yep and Mrs. Walker said we could stay the entire day."

Mrs. Walker is the head counselor for the youth center.

I've also known her since making my move to Baton Rouge permanent years ago.

She was sweet on my uncle, and he had feelings for her too, but our former president also enjoyed partaking in the ways of club life—women being one of them.

Some of us aren't made for settling down or being committed to one person.

Uncle Wyatt could never give the woman he loved what she so desperately wanted, and she wouldn't settle for anything less than she deserved.

It kept them apart for years. At the end of his life, Millie was there at his side, holding his hand.

While the men and their women get the food cooking, I set out across the park.

More people are trickling in, which means more money going to a good cause.

I spot who I'm searching for near the large pavilion where she's cataloging today's auction items. The moment she looks up from her clipboard, Mrs. Walker spots me heading in her direction.

"Jaxson." She smiles. "It's so good to see you.

" As the distance between us shortens, I catch sight of a curvy blonde—only her side profile, but I suddenly find myself not being able to tear my eyes away from her, hoping she'll turn around.

"Jaxson, dear." I faintly hear Mrs. Walker call my name before feeling the warm touch of her hand on my forearm, which is enough to grab my attention.

I look at her. "You're lookin' good, Millie," I say, then hug her.

"I'm looking old and tired, but I appreciate the sentiment." Millie is smiling when she pulls away.

I attempt to gaze at the items up for grabs placed onto the tables, but again, my eyes land on the blonde. "Her name is Sutton."

"Who?"

Millie laughs. "The pretty young thing you happen to be fixated on at the moment, dear."

Sutton.

"Why don't you go over there and introduce yourself?" Millie eagerly adds.

Get your head out of the fog. I shake off the voodoo bullshit that has a grip on me. I turn my attention back to Millie. "I walked over to see you, pretty lady."

Millie studies me for a beat and purses her lips in thought but decides to move the conversation along. "Well, I'm happy you gave me some thought, dear." I notice her moving a bit slower and worry she's overdoing it.

"You shouldn't push yourself so hard, Millie.

Why don't you take a break?" I'm close to Millie.

She's my second mother, and I do my best to check on her often.

Almost a week ago, she was given the news that her breast cancer had come back.

She's opting to have a double mastectomy this time around, but her stubborn ass assured the surgery was scheduled to occur after today's event.

It's not much of a wait, but the fact that she put the function before herself pisses me off.

I get that it's important to her, but she's important to me.

"Now, you quit worrying about me. I'm fine." Millie does her best to hide her fatigue.

Not listening, I decided to take matters into my own hands. "Sit." I point to a chair nearby. "I'll go grab you a water and snack," I tell her, then turn on my heels to leave but bump into someone.

"Oomph." The woman I ran into bounces off of my chest, and the papers in her hands flutter to the concrete floor.

"I'm so sorry. I should have looked where I was going.

" The blonde I was eyeing from across the way kneels to retrieve what she dropped, her face still hidden from me.

I lower myself to her level and help pick up the papers.

"Thank you," she says as I hand them to her.

She lifts her head, but still, part of her face is hidden from her fallen strands of hair.

Without a thought to her personal space, I brush the fallen hair from her face.

Her blank eyes lock with mine. I feel lightheaded, almost a drunk sensation, as I grab her by the hand and help the beautiful woman to stand.

"Sutton."

She looks confused. "We've never met before, so how is it you know my name?"

"I told him, dear," Millie's soft voice calls from behind me, and Sutton looks around me at her.

"Oh." Sutton's expression changes. "Are you okay, Millie? You look tired." Her hand slips from mine as she goes to Millie.

"I am a bit worn out. I think I'll have a rest for a few minutes." Glued in place, I keep my eyes on Sutton, watching her squat down in front of Millie as she settles in the nearby chair I urged her to sit on moments ago. Millie looks at Sutton, who is being attentive.

"I'll go get you something to drink," Sutton rushes to say, her concern for Millie evident.