Chasing Down Changes (Moroad Motorcycle Club) (15 page)

He'd planned for everything, except Tiff running the bordello and working with the sheriff.

He shoved his hands in his hair and stopped. Fuck, maybe Cam was right, and he concentrated too much on what was going down in the Sterling Building and not seeing the bigger picture. He had over three hundred Moroad Motorcycle Club members on the inside and outside depending on him.

But, Cam was wrong, too.

Tiff belonged to him. His desire to come back and reclaim what was his never changed over time. He only needed to figure out how to use Red Light to his advantage and protect Tiff from the Feds.

Tiff made the decision to protect him today. He'd handed her the rope to hang him, to call her bluff, and she'd lied. She'd called Moroad. She'd done everything perfectly.

"It's time," he said, facing his dad. "Set everything up for Monday night."

Cam's brows lowered. "Why the wait? It's Friday. We have plenty of time to take it to vote and let the men step forward with any questions."

"I said Monday." He held his dad's gaze. "Not even you will judge my decisions."

The lines around Cam's eyes deepened. Jeremy stood his ground. A battle of letting go warred within Cam. Jeremy could feel the power it took his dad to bend and let him have the final say. Cam's steady dark eyes studied him, looking for any kind of weakness or sign that Jeremy wasn't ready to lead Moroad into new times.

He gave him none.

Cam dipped his chin, held out his hand, and tugged Jeremy close when their palms met. "Proud of you, kid," Cam whispered. "Fucking proud."

Jeremy squeezed his hand, noting the strength in his dad's grip, the broadness of Cam's palm matched his own. The rough texture desensitized by his calloused hand. Through the years, he'd searched for understanding on why Cam stole him away from the state and sacrificed his freedom. The crushing blow of finding out he'd been used in a bigger game almost got him killed by the club he'd sworn his life to, and then reality hit when he found out Cam was his biological father and knowing they'd never have a normal relationship.

But not once had Cam ever let him believe he wasn't wanted.

Cam pulled away. "I need to get back. Christina has a doctor's appointment, and I told her I'd follow. I'll pick up the extortion money at the drop-off location while she's at the clinic."

Jeremy tilted his head. "Is everything okay with her?"

"Yeah." Cam slapped him on the shoulder. "Just one of those appointments women go to."

He nodded, the relief bigger than he expected. Christina was more like an older sister to him than a stepmom. Soon, he needed to sit down with her. He owed her that much and more. The changes Cam would go through would hit their home hard. It was time for him to make sure she understood he'd be there for both of them, now and in the coming years.

"Yeah, I need to go to the motel. I need to see Lola and get back here before Silver Girls opens for the night." Jeremy locked the front door behind Cam, and then walked through the building to the back door, set the alarm, and stepped outside.

He looked up at the second story, satisfied Tiff would be content with the women and not notice him gone. She had other things on her mind with the sheriff visiting and the raid after she tried to shoot him. He only needed a few minutes to talk with Lola, and he'd be back in time to deal with Tiff before the front door opened for customers.

Upon arrival at the motel, the Moroad members, old and new, were out and separated into groups of two and three men. Half of them surrounded motorcycles, either discussing improvements or making them. The other half hung on Moroad women, enjoying their freedom and afraid the chance at free pussy would be stripped away at any moment, and they planned to get their fill. Smart move, because prison was hell without any women around.

He parked his Harley outside Lola's room and knocked on her door. Rocking back on his heels, he patted his pocket for a can of chew. He needed to hit the gas station and pick up a couple of extra cans.

"Hey, kid. Lola's in the back," shouted Bear.

Jeremy raised his hand in thanks and walked through the opening between the two buildings to the rear of the motel. Expecting to find a crowd and instead found a lone woman tending the fire.

He stopped at the edge of the grass. Seldom had he ever caught Lola unaware.

Lola poked a stick into the flames, staring down into the glow and ignoring the smoke curling up in front of her. Unaware of Jeremy studying her, she sat unmasked. No flirtatious smile graced her lips. Her rounded shoulders hid her breasts. Her dull eyes despite the light coming off the fire spoke volumes of Lola's lot in life.

A heaviness settled on Jeremy's shoulders. He had one responsibility put on him at sixteen years old. It was his club duty to take care of Lola and see after her care. Cam handed Jeremy the job without knowing all the details, or maybe Cam knew, and that's why Lola was thrust upon Jeremy.

Duty or not, He'd never walk away from his responsibility toward Lola. Tiff would need to come to terms with his life and deal.

Jeremy walked forward.

Lola looked up and transformed herself for his sake. The weight on his shoulders increased. He expected nothing less from Lola. Though he wished he could give her more.

Something to make her happiness real and for her to experience the good things other people achieved. He inhaled deeply, surprised he could still grasp that other people, normal people, had a need for contentment.

"Hey, you." Lola dropped the stick and sat back in her chair.

He leaned down, kissed her forehead, and said, "Hey, sweetheart."

Taking the nearest chair, he placed it beside hers and sat. The warmth of the fire coated his body, and he stretched his legs out in front of him. His mind still reeled from the day's results and the changes.

After several minutes, Lola reached over and rubbed his thigh. He gathered her hand in his and held on. She understood what went on in his head and supported him, no matter if she agreed or not. What he received in return exceeded anything he could do for her, and that was a fact Lola learned long ago and one he'd accepted while incarcerated.

"It's going to happen Monday night." While he spoke, he felt nothing.

Lola raised his hand, leaned over, and kissed his knuckles. "Cam's not wasting any time."

"Nope."

Lola inhaled deeply and blew the air out. "You're ready."

"Right." He turned his gaze to her. "He kept Tiff away from me this whole time."

Lola nodded. "He had his reasons."

"You helped him." He stated the truth and expected no answer. The conflicting story he heard from Tiff gave him a view of what went down upon his arrest. It also explained Tiff's reluctance to have anything to do with Lola and her jealousy.

Lola blinked and when her eyelids opened, she stared at Jeremy's hand. "I don't regret anything I've done. This is a rough life. An unfair life. I tried to make things better. You've always had it in you to be the president of Moroad. You know it. I know it. Cam knew it. Don't let anger over what others have done to help you along the way make you careless."

He let his head fall back and gazed at the sky. "I almost got arrested today."

"What?" Lola smacked his shoulder. "Don't even joke about something like that."

"I've spent time for murder, and killed more men while incarcerated. But, while I'm lying there on the sidewalk, getting molested by a deputy ten years younger than me, I wanted to laugh." He snorted. "What the fuck is worth laughing over, huh?"

"What did you do?"

He rolled his head to the side and looked at her. "I didn't do a damn thing. Tiff decided today would be a good day to try and shoot me."

Lola grinned. "That girl always had a temper."

"Yeah." He ran his hands over his face. "She's bottled up years of anger. It's only now starting to show, but she picked a hell of a time to let loose. Tiff's buried up to her neck in crimes. Any jury would have enough claims against her to send her away for a good twenty-five years, if not life."

"Ah." Lola shook her head. "The women she keeps upstairs."

"Yeah." Cam straightened in the chair.

"That doesn't explain why you were frisked and questioned. Do the cops think you're involved?"

He shook his head. "The sheriff is protecting her. He knows she's running an illegal business in his town. The damn girl planned and built a fucking empire and uses law enforcement to keep her ass out of prison. If I weren't so fucking pissed, I'd be impressed."

"I take it they couldn't pin any crime on you today."

Jeremy chuckled and with the sound, the pressure in his chest eased and the weight on his shoulders lifted. "Nah, Tiff stepped up, and the lies rolled out of her mouth."

"Jesus Christ, Jeremy." Lola stood up. "This isn't funny."

"I never took it as a joke. She had her chance to turn me in and get me out of her life." He pushed out of his chair and faced her. "She loves me."

Lola's face softened, and she nodded.

"Will you be there Monday night?" he asked.

"Yeah." She slipped her arms around his waist and gazed up at him. "I take it Tiff will also be there."

"She doesn't know about the meeting yet, but she will be."

She raised up on her toes while pulling him down and kissed his cheek. "Thank you for coming to see me."

"I'll never stop." He smoothed the hair from her face. "Someone has to take care of me."

Lola's eyes welled up with unshed tears. "I'll always do my best."

He kissed her forehead and backed away. "Hey, do me a favor."

"Anything."

He lowered his voice. "Go out and join the others. Don't stay back here by yourself. Enjoy what they can give you. Besides, I think Bear needs some attention."

She covered her mouth and nodded. He winked, turned, and walked to his motorcycle. Lola belonged to Moroad. She'd put her life aside for him for fifteen years to help the men remember Jeremy was still active and a part of Moroad while he sat in prison. The constant reminder of his dedication through Lola's reminders that Jeremy controlled her even while away would make the announcement Monday be accepted club-wide.

Lola had paid her debt. She was free.

F
ear played games with Tiff's head until tiny ideas multiplied, and her problems grew too big for her personality to handle. She sat down on the couch and hugged a throw cushion. For a while after she'd left Cam and Jeremy to talk privately downstairs, she'd stood at the top of the landing, trying to eavesdrop. When not a word of their talk traveled up the stairs, she'd given up and gone into the main kitchen seeking company, but the women had already taken advantage of their time off and retreated to their rooms.

Finally, when she wanted to march down the stairs and throw herself at Jeremy, she'd gone to the suite and tried to keep busy, except her mind wouldn't shut off.

Everything about the day prickled her raw emotions. Guilt, anger, pity and even love made a presence, changing her high energy level to exhaustion. Her body vibrated as if she'd cried all day or she'd ran a marathon. She'd done neither.

Her fatigue came over her an hour ago when she'd watched Cam and Jeremy ride away from the building on their motorcycles. She rubbed her face. Every muscle in her body ached, and the tension refused to let go of her.

Though she hated Cam, she could handle Jeremy talking with him. She'd never tell him he couldn't be around his family.

Jeremy had left, and she knew without a doubt he wasn't going to his club brothers because he split off from Cam and headed toward the motel. She blinked dry eyes. Jeremy was going to see Lola, and it killed her.

He'd told her many times that Lola was none of her business. He had no desire to choose her over Lola. God, she hated that woman.

At one time, she thought Lola was the only person who understood her position when Jeremy got arrested. Lola pretended to care until she stopped. She'd never forgive Lola for encouraging her to distance herself from Moroad.

In her confused state of mind, she'd done everything Lola suggested without questioning anybody.

She cut off communicating with all members of Moroad, except when it came to Silver Girls. She stopped hanging out at the parties, and she stepped away from the Moroad women. She never called on any of them for help, even the time a tourist hit her while drunk and belligerent and put her in the hospital for two days with a concussion.

She refused to spend the money Jeremy sent her every month.

Over time, she learned to hide the pain of living every day without Jeremy in her life.

But, she'd done it.

She'd succeeded.

She built Silver Girls into something better and more profitable. Red Light gave her the excitement and fulfillment she missed with the club, and she'd achieved everything on her own.

To accept Jeremy cheating on her with Lola would make her vulnerable. Even if his claim of not sleeping with Lola was true, the emotional affair put her at risk.

A knock brought her out of her self-inflicted funk. She walked across the suite and opened the door.

Marci studied her. "You look like shit."

"I feel like it, too." She stepped back, letting Marci inside. "Are the ladies settled in?"

"Of course." Marci grabbed a water bottle out of the fridge and returned to Tiff. "Drink all of this. You've got bags under your eyes."

"How is water going to help?" She cracked the top and drank.

Marci led her to the couch. "Who knows. I just need to do something for you, and getting you to drink water is easier than fixing world problems. Do you want to talk?"

"No." Tiff put her feet up on the coffee table and slouched down into the couch. "Why do you want to work for me?"

Marci laughed. "That's a loaded question."

"I'm serious." Tiff waved the bottle in the air. "The women...I understand. I know what they have to gain, and I know what they have to lose. You're different because you're not here for the sex."

Marci shrugged, slipping off her shoes, and folding her legs underneath her on the couch. "I'm no different than everyone else."