Page 35

PROLOGUE

Banshee, over twenty years ago

“Are you ready to meet your little sister?” my dad asked as we waited for the elevator to arrive.

I think about what he just said, because in all honesty, I would have preferred to be at the clubhouse, playing with my best friend, Brick, as we worked on the dirt bikes his dad found. We were ‘too young’ for a real motorcycle, according to our fathers, but these would give us the experience we needed so when that day came, we would know how to ride. Right now, we were learning how to do basic repairs while his dad, RiffRaff, helped us rebuild both bikes.

But I was also excited because I was going to have a sibling. Brick and I had already decided, even if the baby was a girl, we would teach him or her everything we knew. Only, he didn’t know about her yet because he was with his grandparents during our spring break. His granny came around the club from time to time, so I knew he was getting to eat all of the yummy treats she was making. I just hoped she would remember to send some home with him so he could share them with me.

“I guess so, Dad,” I finally replied. He chuckled, squeezing my shoulder as we entered the elevator that would take us up to my mom’s room.

Even as young as I was, I saw how the other people inside moved away from the two of us, so I mean mugged them to let them know I was aware. I was proud of the club my dad was part of, and someday, when I was old enough, I would sit around the table with Brick and our other friends in the club as we drank beer and decided what we were going to do.

My dad leaned in and whispered, “Doesn’t matter, Ban, what they think of us, remember? We know who and what we are.” Guess he saw me glaring at the two women who were clutching their purses against them.

As if a Roanoke Raider would ever steal someone’s purse. I knew the club did a lot for the community, but still, as Brick and I figured out, people were very judgmental about what they didn’t understand.

“I know, Dad, but it’s not fair that they think we’re going to hurt them just because we’re wearing our cuts,” I replied.

Okay, mine wasn’t a cut like my dad’s; his had the Roanoke Raider rockers on the back, his road name on the front, and a bunch of other patches he’d gotten throughout the years, while mine said ‘Future Roanoke Raider’ on the back, with my road name, Banshee, on the front. But still, even though any of the brothers in the club would stop to offer assistance to anyone who needed it, we got treated like we were dog shit.

“Well, today’s about seeing your mama, and meeting your baby sister. Just remember, what other people think or say about you is none of your business nor does it define who you are,” he stated, loud enough that I saw both of the women turn red.

My dad was good like that, though. He was able to put people in their place without ever raising his voice or losing his temper. I saw one of the ladies glance at the two of us and knew she saw a man with his son in front of him, his arm lightly embracing him. She didn’t see the man who went out late at night when his wife wanted a particular snack, or the man who loved to joke around with his brothers.

No. She saw his leather cut, tanned face, hair pulled away by his bandana that was wrapped around his forehead, his muscles in his arms, and the rings he wore on his hands and decided he was a bad man. When the ding sounded and the doors opened, we went to walk out and I looked up at her and said, “Sometimes, the good guys wear leather, lady.”

My dad chuckled as we walked down the hall to my mama’s hospital room, and I started to get excited about meeting my baby sister.

“Careful, Ban,” my dad warned as he placed Ryleigh in my arms. I nodded but didn’t take my attention away from the tiny pink bundle now carefully cradled against my chest.

“I’m your big brother, RyRy,” I whispered as Dad went over to sit next to Mama on the hospital bed. “I’ll always protect you. Me and my best friend, Brick, already decided.”

Big blue eyes stared at me as I continued to tell my baby sister all the things I was going to teach her once she was a little bit older.

“She’s so little,” Brick exclaimed, looking down at Ryleigh who was currently enfolded in his arms. He’d finally made it back home from his grandparents, bringing me my own package of ‘goodies’ from his granny. “I think she smiled at me,” he stated, grinning at me.

“Mama said she’s too young, it’s probably just gas,” I advised.

“Nope. It’s definitely a smile,” he rebutted. I watched in awe as RyRy’s little fist reached out and grabbed hold of Brick’s finger, bringing it close to her face.

“I think she likes you,” I replied. According to Mama, she was an ‘easy baby’ unlike how me and Brick were. We were both apparently ‘hell on wheels’, even though I was the only one straight outta her belly, because we woke up every two hours to eat, took a long time to settle, and both of us had colic, whatever that was.

“We’re going to take good care of you,” he whispered, now ignoring me in favor of my sister. I understood though; she loved being held, probably because my dad was always toting her around. “No one will ever hurt you, not on our watch.”

“Ban, you and Brick bring my girl over here,” my dad, Bonzai, called out from where he was standing with his other brothers around the grill.

Today, we were having a barbecue at the clubhouse, so Brick and I had been watching Ryleigh while the men cooked on the grill and drank beer, and my mom and the old ladies made all the side dishes. I was hoping for some of the fruit salad Mama made; it was one of my favorite things in the world! I could eat it for breakfast and sometimes, Dad would let me. I carefully picked RyRy up from the playpen and the two of us walked over to the men, Brick slightly behind me to have my back.

Not like anything bad would ever happen here. The Roanoke Raiders were well-known in the area, and as Dad liked to say, ‘no one fucked with a Raider and lived to tell the tale’. Not that I was supposed to have heard that, but Brick and I had gotten good at sneaking around the clubhouse so we could find stuff out. We wanted to be ready for when we were old enough to prospect.

Once we were close enough, Dad reached out and carefully removed Ryleigh from my arms before he curled her protectively against his chest. “You boys go and grab us some fresh beers,” he requested. “Got some cold one’s for y’all in there too.”

Brick and I grinned at each other; we were way too young for real beer, of course, but Dad and RiffRaff started buying us IBC Root Beer a few years back and putting it in the coolers with their beer. We practically ran to the coolers the prospects had set up against the back of the clubhouse, causing the brothers to laugh loudly at our excitement. After loading up with theirs, we grabbed two of ours then made our way back to the guys. After we gave them out, I went to take Ryleigh back, but Dad shook his head.

“You boys go on and do what you want, I’ve got her. Food will be ready in an hour or so.”

“Thanks, Dad!” I called out, already heading to the back of the fenced-in property where our tree fort was located. I knew Kracken would be arriving soon, but there was plenty of room for all of us.

Brick held our drinks while I climbed up into the wooden structure, then handed them up to me before joining me inside. As we popped the tops of our drinks and each took a long pull of the frosty goodness, I looked around, grinning.

Last year, we were at the clubhouse when RiffRaff told us to stay inside. It wasn’t a hardship; we were able to play the Nintendo on the huge television in the common room area. We were so busy chasing zombies, we didn’t even ask what they were doing and why we couldn’t help. Hours later, one of the prospects came in to get us and we followed him outside, stunned when RiffRaff told us that they knew we needed our own meeting space. There, nestled between several huge trees was a massive treehouse. I think we spent the rest of that day up there, eating junk food, going through old tattoo magazines, and making ourselves sick.

Maybe thirty minutes later, we both heard, “A little help here, guys.” Looking down, I saw Kracken with his backpack slung over his shoulders, struggling to get up without dropping anything.

“Hand it up, man,” I yelled, reaching my hand down so I could grab the straps. I knew he’d have more root beer for us, and probably some new magazines. His dad had subscriptions to several of them, including one that had tattoos, another that was all about motorcycles, and the one that was a favorite behind the other two, hot rods and muscle cars.

Not that any of us planned to use cages. Nope, we were going to be badass bikers when we grew up and ride on two wheels, regardless of the weather. Dad would laugh when I’d tell him that, then point out his big truck that easily carried all four of us wherever we needed to go. Since he was a total badass as far as I was concerned, I conceded that maybe, just maybe, I’d get a truck for those times when the weather was too inclement.

“It’s about time you got here,” Brick said once Kracken had pulled himself through the opening and dropped down next to us.

“Had a hard time trying to figure out which ones to bring,” Kracken admitted, opening up the backpack to pull out a stack of magazines. I wasn’t sure where to start; there were issues devoted to the latest tattoos, and several dedicated to new bike designs.

“Holy shit!” I exclaimed, seeing the stash. “How did you get so many at once?”

“Dad cleaned out the older ones,” he replied, pulling out his own bottle of root beer and popping off the top. “So, he said we could have these.”

We spent the next thirty minutes avidly pouring over them, oohing and ahhing over what we were seeing before I heard my dad holler for us to come down and get some food.

“Did you see her?” Brick asked after my mom took Ryleigh in for her nap. “She got up and started walking and came right to me!”

I grinned then punched him in the arm. “Just remember, she’s my little sister and I’ll have to beat you up if you ever hurt her.”

“Dude, she’s still just a baby,” he retorted. “Besides, I’m too young to think of settling down.”

“Yeah, we’re not even ten yet,” I agreed. “Still, I’ll be watching.”

“Dumbass.”

I didn’t want to tell him that it kind of hurt my feelings that RyRy had walked to him first instead of me. I was her big brother, not him. But he was my best friend, and he was hurting right now because his mother ‘took off’ and left him behind. I didn’t understand grownups sometimes, but at least she left him with us. We’d take care of him; that’s what family did, and the Roanoke Raiders were a big family, according to my dad. So, if my little sister wanted to walk to him first, I’d push it down because I still had both of my parents, and now he only had his dad. Well, his grandparents too, but his granny got sick and so he wasn’t able to go visit them anymore.

“Ban, the old ladies are in the kitchen, Brick will be here shortly to give you a hand, but I need you to keep an eye on the other kids while we have church,” Dad said. “The prospects will be out there too, but your job is to protect your sister. You understand?”

“Yes, sir,” I replied. We were celebrating Ryleigh’s third birthday with a huge party at the clubhouse, but from what I had overheard, there was a club or something trying to cause some problems, so him tasking me with this job was important. “I’ll protect her with my life, Dad.”

He chuckled while squeezing my shoulder. “Don’t think it’s that dire, Ban. Just, keep an eye on that little sprite. Ever since she started walking, she’s been fearless.”

I giggled while nodding. She was a ball of energy from the time she woke up until Mom managed to get her down for a nap. Then, once she recharged, she was on again up until it was time for bed. But I loved her and would do anything for her. That’s what Dad said big brothers did; they took care of their little sisters. Brick helped me a lot too, since we were ‘joined at the hip’ as my mom was always saying. Like me, he didn’t mind when we had to watch her because she made us laugh a lot.

I was pushing Ryleigh on the swings when I saw a white van pull up near the fence. Glancing around, I saw the other little kids playing, but I didn’t see the prospects, which was strange. They were always watching us when we were outside while the parents were inside. A funny feeling settled in my stomach when I saw the two men getting out of the vehicle, their eyes focused on me and RyRy.

“Go inside now!” I quietly yelled to the other kids. “Get my dad and RiffRaff!”

Right now, I wished Brick was here beside me, especially when I watched both men scale the fence and come toward me. Grabbing Ryleigh off the swing, I started to run toward the back of the clubhouse and safety.

I never made it.