Page 51 of Burning Ember

“Nope.”

She sighs. “I was trying to earn some money. You know, just in case you kicked me out when the party is over. Or before then.” Her voice comes across defeated. It makes me feel like an asshole.

I don’t know why when I’ve never cared if I sounded like an asshole before now.

“After you get this place cleaned up, you can do other jobs for the club. Like help at one of our businesses. But you’re not workin’ for someone else. I want you with a club member or an old lady at all times.” I point to Rigor who’s standing just outside the open back door within hearing distance.

Her shoulders slouch.

My chest all of sudden has a heavy weight pressed on it.

“When you leave, I’ll make sure you don’t leave with nothin’.”

Her eyes flicker up to mine. Hope blooms in her irises as they light up. The corner or her lips curve slightly and my chest tightens in response.

“But I want you gone then. That’s the deal. No staying on. I don’t care what excuse you use, but you’ll make somethin’ up and get gone.”

Her eyes drop as she considers my offer. Finally, she says, “Okay.”

I hate and love that she just agreed to leave in a few short days.

I gesture to the paper. “When you’re done with this, come see me and I’ll find you more shit to do.”

I step back. “You’re gonna wanna wear one of those masks, especially when you do the floors and toilets. We don’t really do a good job of cleaning up after ourselves, if you know what I mean.”

I expect a glare. Maybe even for her face twist with disgust. But instead, she shakes her head and bites her bottom lip. After a second, she murmurs, “Good to know.”

I turn to leave.

“You know, Mav, I can put up with a lot before I run the opposite way. You can keep testing me, but I’m not going to break easily.”

Her words pierce me like a spear through the chest. They sting. Dana couldn’t stick it out when things got tough. Hell, I was always afraid to tell her anything for fear that it would send her over the edge. She broke so easily, because she was already so damaged to begin with.

I wait until I’m out of earshot to say, “Yeah . . . I’d like to see you prove it, Doll.”

The rain and tumultuous clouds move north, taking with them streaks of lightning and the rumble of thunder as they dance across the sky. The illusion of the storm lingers and the future is held at bay if only temporarily as if time stops for a few seconds. There’s something both haunting and promising about moments like this.

I’m smoking a cigarette in the courtyard, enjoying the view, and saying goodbye to my brothers who jump in their cages. They’re leaving in trucks and cars, and going to Hodges’ bar for a few beers. It’s our usual hang out on Monday nights. Although I won’t be going, since I decided to take advantage of the nearly vacant clubhouse to finish the work Pumpkin’s arrival interrupted.

For the last day and a half, I’ve managed to avoid her. Mainly, because I’m still reeling from our last conversation, which keeps going round and round inside my head.

Griz slaps my back, bringing me back to the present. “You sure you wanna chill here? Should be a pretty fuckin’ entertainin’ night. Bodie’s half spent. And Taz has already threatened to deck his ass more than once.”

I pull in a drag on my smoke then blow it out away from him. “Nah. Got shit to do. Tell Bethany I’ll be out to check on her soon though.”

Griz mounts his brown and orange Road King Classic and salutes me. “Will do, brotha.”

With Hodge gone, Cap out of commission, and Dozer having a stick up his ass when it comes to her, it falls to me to make sure Bethany’s taken care of.

She’s been struggling since Hodge passed, trying to run the bar while raising their two kids, Axel and Medda. It wouldn’t be a problem, except she won’t let the club help, whether it be money, or the old ladies helping with the kids. She refuses to be treated like a charity case. For some reason, she thinks with Hodge gone she’s no longer family. However, she should know better. We also owe it to our fallen brother to take care of his wife and kids.

So besides making sure we visit often and give her our business, I do my best to help her where I can. With the kids. Slip money into her purse now and then, and pay the past due rent on the bar’s lease whenever I can talk her into letting me.

When I’m done with my cigarette, I head back into the clubhouse.

Four feet in, I’m stopped by Star who walks up to me and places her hand on my chest. I scowl down at her offending hand until she says, “Sorry, I forgot,” and rapidly removes it.

“I saw that you were stayin’ and thought maybe you’d want some company.”