Page 6 of Property of Thrasher (Kings of Anarchy MC: South Carolina #1)

“No, our honeymoon was in Utah. He thinks I failed geography. Everyone knows you haven’t left Akron and my only time away was with BJ in Utah. They will go West first. As long as we keep to the East I think we’ll be fine.”

I nodded. “Eventually, they will give up on finding us. We will be cast aside.” I took a long pause, “We can’t ever call home or return.

” The words cut deep. I would miss my siblings and our family, but I knew if I was married to Logan he would hurt me in every way possible.

That was no life to live and he knew how much family mattered to me, he would most likely limit my contact if he allowed it at all.

I was doomed to be secluded from them one way or another.

Nothing about this would be easy, especially finding our cousin. I didn’t share these thoughts with Lyric. She needed hope.

We both did.

The fear of the punishment should we return home was enough to have me press the gas pedal a little more.

As darkness pressed in and the night sky filled with stars, we came to another small hotel right off the interstate in Florence, South Carolina. Groggily, we made our way inside. A kind older lady was behind the desk wearing a name tag that said Nancy.

Silently, I prayed we wouldn’t need a credit card as we checked in. That was a hard lesson at our last stop. While we could sleep in the car, I didn’t feel very safe doing so.

“Hey ladies, how are you tonight?” she greeted.

“Tired and hoping to get a room,” I replied with my fingers crossed like a child praying this worked out.

“I need an ID and credit card.”

Lyric nervously bounced from side to side. She looked to me, I looked to her.

“I’m sorry, Nancy,” I explained, reading her nametag. “we don’t have any credit cards.”

The white-haired woman smiled, “Well, you’re young, I see. You are eighteen right?” We both nodded. “Nineteen,” I shared.

“Well, honey do you have a debit card? We need a card on file in case you damage the room. I know you won’t be messing things up. But my son, Braxton, he owns the place with his brothers, and he’s adamant we get the card.”

I hear Lyric hiccup beside me fighting back tears.

“It’s okay, thank you for your time,” I began as the front doors opened and a behemoth of a man strolled in.

His face chiseled with a look of stone eyed in on this little lady behind the counter.

Immediately, instinct took over and I shifted.

Moving backwards to stand in front of Nancy, I was preparing mentally for battle.

When the man who clearly stood over six feet tall began to walk past me but like he was headed behind the counter, I moved keeping my body between him and the little lady.

“Excuse me, sir,” I said trying to keep my voice firm.

“We were here first and Ms. Nancy isn’t finished checking us in.

If you could kindly wait over there. Personal space and all.

Ya know, women, we can’t be too safe,” I tried to brush off the fear running rampant through me.

I was failing at sounding strong and casual, but what options were left?

I couldn’t let him hurt us or this kind lady.

The man laughed loudly before his face shifted back to stone. “Who are you?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and didn’t know what to say.

Taking him in, the dark washed jeans, black t-shirt, and a leather vest that was covered in patches, I wasn’t sure what to do or say to this man.

His hair was dark and pulled back in a long pony tail with rubber bands every inch or two all the way down to keep the hair in place.

Lyric extended her hand to the stranger, “I’m Lyric, this is my cousin Melody.

We’ve been on the road all day. We’re passing through and a little road weary.

You can understand. We just wanted to get a room and head up to bed.

But we’re not finished here yet, so just a little space for the next few minutes and everything will be okay.

” She gave him a fake smile and I wanted to bop her on the head.

We don’t befriend the dangerous men! Obviously that was a lesson that didn’t stick in her brain.

The man smirked looking beyond us to Nancy.

“I’m Braxton, friends call me Tiny.” I fought back a laugh because he was anything but tiny.

He looked to Nancy, “hi mom, sorry I’m late.

I didn’t think Joanie would call out again after the last time I fired her ass.

I’ll get someone else soon.” He walked beyond me, leaned over and kissed his mom on the cheek before turning back to us.

“Room is on me,” he explained, “give ‘em a key, momma and head to bed. I’ll finish the shift.”

I didn’t know what to say so I stood there like a fallen down log unmoving.

Lyric, though, she seized the opportunity.

“Thank you for your kindness, Braxton. I know this is kind of odd. But Melody and I are new to the area, we are starting over in South Carolina, all the way from Montana. We need jobs and clearly you need someone to fill in. If you don’t mind taking a chance on two farm girls, we could use the work. ”

“Either of you good at cleaning?”

We both nodded because we could pass a white glove test in a heartbeat. He studied us for a moment.

“Pay is shit. I got the business after a deal went south. This was the collateral. Hate this shit. Can’t afford more than minimum wage.”

Lyric beamed up at the man. “That’s fine. We’re happy with anything.”

“Got no benefit package either.” He studied us with every word.

“We’ll be fine, sir.”

“Tiny, not sir. Unless you’re in my bed, then I’m master sir.”

My heart stopped at his words and a bright smile crossed his face. “Just kiddin’. Calm down, kids.”

“Um, okay, Tiny,” I said stuttering through it.

“Braxton Neil Davis, you quit fussin’ with these girls. Give ‘em a chance, son.”

He looked at my cousin, looked at me, and laughed.

“You know what, sure. Y’all get some rest, you want a job be down here at seven to start work.

Ma will have uniforms laid out for you in the break room.

I assume you ain’t got livin’ quarters, so we can sort room and board out of your pay at the end of the week.

I won’t charge ya full price, but you ain’t fuckin’ me so you ain’t getting a free ride either. ”

“Braxton,” his mom chastised.

“You’re right, ma. I don’t even let the bitches I fuck get a free stay or meal either.”

Then without another word, he strutted behind the counter to an office in the back while his mom, Nancy, did indeed hand us a room key and never once asked for a payment or a damn credit card.

“He’s a little rough around the edges. But most of his brothers are. You’ll see, you do good work, and stay outta trouble, you’ll like it here.”

Lyric asked, “brothers? How many kids do you have Ms. Nancy? You look amazing”

Ms. Nancy smiled, “I don’t know the Kings numbers, but I consider them all my boys because they are family.

Kings of Anarchy is a motorcycle club. Local fellas.

They keep things in order. They’re everything to Brax.

After Neil died when Braxton was still a teenager, he was a bit wild.

With the Kings he found order in his life. They saved my boy.”

The fatigue catching up to us both, we yawned and all other questions and thoughts of Kings were dismissed for the night.

I didn’t have a plan. But I wasn’t about to turn this gift away. I guessed someone was looking out for us and South Carolina could be home, at least for now.