Gravel's Road (7 page)

“It’s true, Ma. Dad was one of the good guys, but when he died, I saw a piece of you die with him. Gravel took over the space dad left, and I’m thankful to him for that. But I swear to god if he fucking hurts you, I will rip his fucking head off and feed it to Meg’s dog.”

“Hey! Blue would so not eat someone’s head,” Meg protested.

“Meg, shut up,” Cyn called.

“Whoops, sorry,” Meg whispered, covering her mouth with her hand.

“Hurting your mother is the last thing I will ever do. I’ve watched you dumbasses bumble your way with your woman; I think I got this covered,” Gravel said.

“I don’t fucking like it, Ma,’ Lo said, his eyes falling to me, ‘but if Gravel is someone you want to spend time with…”

“I think they want to do more than spend time with each other,” Meg interrupted, winking at me.

Jesus, Meg really was a nut.

I head Gravel chuckle behind me and Lo tilted his head back and closed his eyes. ‘Lord give me strength,” he mumbled.

“Meg,” I said, smiling at her. She may be crazy and a little nutty, but she really was perfect for Lo.

“What? I’m right,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest, her eyes darting from Gravel and me, a smirk playing on her lips.

“Hurt her and I hurt you. Got it?” Lo asked, talking over Meg.

“Yeah,” Gravel said.

“You girls done with your drama now and think we can cut down this tree?” Rigid called.

“Fuck off,” Lo called as he grabbed Meg’s hand and dragged her down the steps. Meg threw a wink and smile at me over her shoulder, a laugh escaping her lips.

“Wait. Who was the blonde that drove up?” Cyn asked.

“Marley.” Was all Gravel said.

“Holy shit, Marley,” Lo said, shaking his head.

“Who the heck is Marley?” Meg asked looking at Lo.

“My daughter,” Gravel explained.

“Holy shit, you have a daughter!?” Meg exclaimed.

“Yeah, babe,’ Lo said. ‘She’s what, twenty-five now?” He asked looking at Gravel. Apparently Lo was over what had crawled up his butt about Gravel.

“Twenty-six,” Gravel grunted.

“I want to meet her.” Meg piped in.

“Me too! Did you see her hair?” Cyn said to Meg.

“Hell yeah, that shit looked like gold. I got to ask her who does her hair,” Meg said excitedly.

“Babe, really? That’s the first thing you think of?” Lo asked, grinning at her.

“Lo, did you see her. She was absolutely gorgeous. She looked cool as shit too. Kind of like a real life Barbie.”

“Oh, you’re right! She did! Let’s go talk to her!” Cyn agreed. When you got both of these two together, they were like hell on wheels.

“Maybe later, girls. Marley went to lay down,” I explained, stopping them in their tracks.

“She ok?” Gravel asked, concerned.

“She’s fine, just tired. She drove straight here from California. Give her a couple of hours to rest.”

“Bummer. We are so staying until she wakes up,” Meg said to Lo, waving her finger at him.

“We’re going to be here all night if we don’t get started on this fucking tree,” Rigid complained, grabbing Cyn’s hand and pulled her towards the tree.

“We’ll stay until she wakes up, babe,” Lo promised, pulling Meg into his arms.

“Yay!” Meg shouted, placing a quick kiss on Lo’s lips and ran off after Cyn.

“Lord help me,” Lo rumbled again and followed Meg.

“Sorry, darlin’,” Gravel said from behind me.

“I’m the one who should be saying sorry,” I said, turning around to face him.

“Why?” Gravel asked, his head cocked to the side, looking at me.

“Everyone knows now. I should have thought about that before I kissed you. I know you’ve been struggling with the whole settling down, and now it’s basically being shoved down your throat.” This wasn’t how I wanted Gravel to realize he wanted to be with me.

“Nothing is being shoved down my throat. I’m the one who kissed you. If I didn’t want anyone to know, I never would have done that.’ He grabbed my hands and pulled me to him. ‘I decided that night I made you lay down next to me I wasn’t going anywhere.”

I choked on my breath at his words. “You don’t need to say that,” I whispered.

“I know I don’t, Ethel. That’s one thing I love about you. You give and give but never ask for anything in return. I want to be the guy who gives you what you need.”

“I don’t know what I need,” I confessed. I had been like this my whole life. I loved to take care of people and be their support.

“Then just let me figure it out.”

“Forgive me if I find that a bit hard to believe,” I smirked at him.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me into his arms. “Well, just sit back and watch darlin’,” He replied as he his lips descended, brushing against mine.

I reached up, threading my fingers through his hair, pulling him closer. Gravel took control, deepening the kiss and I whimpered when his hands slid down my back and cupped my ass.

“I want you, Ethel,” he growled against my lips.

“I have a yard full of people right now, Lincoln,” I whispered.

“You heard that, huh?” He asked.

“Lincoln?’ I asked, referring to when Marley had said his name. ‘Oh yeah, I heard that,” I said, leaning in for more.

“Never going to live that down, am I?” He asked, nipping at my bottom lip.

I pulled away, looking into his lust filled eyes. “I like it. It suits you.”

“Hmm, just don’t say it loud.”

“Remy!” Meg yelled, breaking into our little world.

“No hi to me?” I heard Troy call.

I looked over Gravel’s shoulder and saw Troy and Remy had showed up to help.

“Who the hell invited cowboy?” Gravel grumbled.

I shook my head, laughing. “You’re going to have to get used to him, Gravel. He’s Meg and Cyn’s best friend.”

Gravel just grunted, watching Troy and Meg hug. Gravel needed to get over it. Meg was so in love with Lo; she didn’t see any other men that way. Troy was definitely attractive, but he was different from Lo.

While Lo was tall, dark, and intimidating, Troy was tall, dark, and laid back. With the two of them standing next to each other, they had complete opposite appeal.

“Troy isn’t who Meg wants. You take one look at the girl, and you can see it in her eyes who she loves,” I reasoned.

“That isn’t going to stop that cowboy from trying to steal her away.”

“You are really concerned about this,” I said, turning to face Gravel.

“You heard Lo, he sees me as a father figure and I definitely see him as a son.”

“Hmm, so that means you’re protective and just looking out for him?” I smirked.

“Yeah, that ok with you?” He asked.

“I suppose, as long as your intentions are good,” I said, wrapping my arms around his waist and laid my head on his shoulder.

“You just can’t keep your hands off me, can you, woman?” Gravel mumbled, leaning down, whispering into my ear.

“Do I have to?” I muttered into his chest.

“No, darlin’. I like you right where you are,” he whispered.

Gravel held me as we watched all the guys figure out how to cut the tree down. Meg and Cyn glanced over every now and then and would giggle when they looked back at each other. Gravel saw them do it one time and threw his head back laughing.

“Those girls sure are a trip,” he laughed.

“Yeah, but they’re good girls, though. Both of those boys need them in their lives.”

“That they do,” Gravel agreed.

I snuggled deeper into Gravel’s arms and hoped he needed me in his life, too.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Chapter 9

Gravel

“You going to tell me what’s been going on with the Assassins or am I going to have to guess?” I gruffed at King and Rigid.

They had managed to knock the tree down without hitting Ethel’s house and were now working on cutting it up and stacking it for firewood. Ethel wasn’t going to need all of it. We had sent Turtle back to the clubhouse to grab a truck, and we were going to load up the back of it and take some back to the clubhouse for bonfires.

“There isn’t much to tell,’ King said, running his fingers through his hair. ‘The night Rigid took care of Nick, they fucking disappeared. Right now we have no idea where the fuck they are. Edge is trying everything he can to find them.”

“So the guys who just fucking shot me are gone,” I growled, throwing my work gloves on the ground. The Assassins weren’t the smartest bunch we had come across, but they had managed to sneak Nick by us and fucking shoot me. They were not to be underestimated.

“We’re working on it. Right now we tightened up everything at the clubhouse and shop. What happened will not happen again.”

“We called the Collinsworth chapter, and they’re looking into it, too,” Rigid put in.

“So now we just sit here like fucking ducks waiting for them to attack us.”

“Gravel, I don’t need you worrying about this. Get better and then you can get back into everything at the club,” King said, trying to calm me down, except there was no calming me down.

“Who’s to say these assholes aren’t going to go after our women or family,’ I fumed. ‘Do we know anyone who is connected to them?”

“Cherry,” Rigid said in disgust.

“Cherry, the fucking pussy from the club?” I asked. I knew of Cherry, but I never had the chance to be with her. She had only been around for a couple of weeks before Meg came into the picture.

“Yeah. Come to find out, Nick was her brother. She’s the only connection we have right now to the Assassins,” King said.

“So let’s fucking talk to her. She has to know where they went,” I demanded.

“That would work fine except Cherry isn’t exactly Meg and Cyn’s friend. We meet up with her a couple of weeks ago when we picked up the girls from work and Cherry knows we are with Cyn and Meg,” King explained.

“I don’t even think Cherry knows her brother is dead. I ask Cyn every day if she has heard anything about anyone knowing about Nick being dead, and she said no one knows. As far as anyone around here knows, Nick moved away,” Rigid explained.

“Right now there isn’t a lot we can do. We are turning over every stone we can, and we are going to find something. These guys aren’t exactly smart. I’m sure they made a mistake somewhere. All we have to do is find it,” King said, his eyes going to Ethel’s front porch.

I followed his gaze and saw Meg, Ethel, and Cyn walking down the steps towards us.

“Dinner’s ready whenever you guys are,” Ethel said as she bent over to pick up a few stray sticks.

“I’m starving,” Remy said, walking up to his mom and threw his arm over her shoulders.

“When the hell did you get taller than me?” Meg asked, looking up at Remy.

“About a year ago,” Remy answered.

“Well knock it off,” Med replied, elbowing Remy in the side.

“Everyone is taller than me,” Cyn complained.

“It’s not hard to be,” Rigid said, leaning down, planting his shoulder in Cyn’s stomach and picked her up.

“Son of a bitch, Ash! Put me down!” Cyn shrieked as Rigid carried her to the house.

“Fucking crazy,” King said.

“Looks like fun,” Meg said, watching Rigid trip and almost drop Cyn.

“I guess if almost landing on your head sounds like fun to you, babe,” King laughed.

“It does. Hell, you didn’t know what fun was until you met me,” Meg sassed at King.

“No, babe. I knew what fun was. What you showed me was crazy,” King pointed out.

Remy threw his head back laughing at the outraged look on Meg’s face. “Traitor!” She yelled, pointing her finger at Remy. ‘You’re supposed to be on my side, not his!”

“Mom, he’s got a point,” Remy said.

“Humph, no one asked you,” Meg whined, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Babe,” King said, shaking his head.

“Don’t you ‘babe’ me, Lo. Raise the kid for seventeen years and you just waltz right in and suddenly he’s siding with you,” Meg said walking away, headed for the house.

“Is she serious?” Remy asked Lo.

Lo shrugged his shoulders at Remy. “Meg!” King called.

“What, Lo?” Meg said, not turning around.

King jogged towards her retreating back and called her name again. Meg turned around right before Lo swept her off her feet and carried her into the house, with Remy following close behind. You could hear Meg’s laughter even after the door swung shut behind them.

“You’re not expecting me to carry you in the house, are you?” I asked, looking at Ethel.

She laughed, her eyes lighting up. “I’m pretty sure if you picked me up, we’d both throw our backs out.”

“You’re probably right, woman,” I said, watching her.

“I would settle for holding your hand, though,” she said, holding her hand out to me.

I grabbed it, lacing my fingers with hers and tugged her close and wrapped my other arm around her. “God dammit, I’m sore,” I said, feeling the muscles in my shoulder tighten. I had over done it today between helping cut the tree and stack the wood.

“That’s what happens when you try to keep up with all the young ones,” I said.

Gravel kissed me on the top of my head and tugged me towards the house. “You’re only as old as you feel.”

“Well, you just told me you’re sore as hell, so I think you’re feeling the appropriate age today.” Ethel giggled.

“I guess you’re right about that, darlin’.” I chuckled, climbing the stairs side by side with Ethel.

“Although you don’t look a day over forty,’ Ethel said, turning to face me and ran the tips of her fingers down my face. ‘You could use a haircut,” she mumbled, her fingers traveling over my shoulder and grabbing some of my hair I had held back.

“I can’t even remember the last time I had a haircut,” I mused.

“Well, I think it’s time we remedy that,” she said running her fingers through the end of my hair.

“You don’t like my hair?” I asked, briefly wondering if Ethel was trying to change me.

“I love your hair, maybe just trim the ends off. Just a couple of inches,” she said, holding up an end of my hair and holding it a couple of inches up from the ends.

“What about if I wanted to cut it off.” I was testing her, afraid of her answer.

Her eyes were looking at my hair, holding it this way and that. “I like it long, but you can do whatever you want.” She said, her eyes finding mine.

“Maybe I could have Marley trim it up,” I agreed.

“Whatever you want,” she said dropping my hair and smiled up at me.

“Did you just talk me into getting a haircut?” I smirked. The damned woman just made it seem like getting a haircut was my idea.

“It’s up to you.” She leaned up on her tiptoes and planted a quick kiss on my lips and slipped into the house.

I watch the screen slap shut behind her and just shook my head.

I ran my fingers through my hair, tugging the tie out and sifted it through my fingers. Guess I was getting a haircut.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Ethel

“Honey, you can stay here, I don’t mind at all,” I said sliding the door shut in Gravel’s room. The days were still remotely warm, but when the sun went down, there was a definite chill in the air.

“No, really, it’s ok. I planned on going to the hotel in town and look for a more permanent place to stay tomorrow,” she said combing her fingers through her long hair.

“I’m not going to take no for an answer.”

“Who’s not taking no for an answer?” Gravel asked walking into his room.

“Me. Marley insists on going and stay at a hotel.” I told Gravel.

“Where is she going to sleep here, darlin’?” Gravel asked.

“The couch or she could even take my bed. I’m sure you aren’t caught up on your sleep yet.” I offered.

“Oh fuck that shit! There is no way in hell you are sleeping on that couch! You can just get that out of your head, woman!” Gravel bellowed at me.

“Really, I’m ok with getting a hotel. I’m also used to having my own space, so a hotel room is best. Really,” Marley insisted.

“You're an ass, Gravel,” I hissed at him.

“She can get a goddamn hotel room for one night, and I can find her a place to stay tomorrow. I finally got you, woman, and I intend to have you without my daughter right across the god damn hall!”

I felt my face heat and knew that I had turned bright read. I had no idea I could still blush at fifty-eight.

“Jesus Christ, Lincoln, please keep it in your pants until I leave,” Marley said, her nose scrunched up and lip curled.

“I’ll pay for your hotel tonight and then we’ll look for a place in the morning,” Gravel growled, prowling out the door.

“I’m sorry, Marley. Sometimes I think your father doesn’t have any manners,” I apologized, embarrassed that Gravel had talked like that in front of Marley.

Marley shook her head and laughed. “I’ve heard a lot worse from him. I actually think that is the sweetest thing I have ever heard him say,” she smiled.

“I think you might be right about that,” I agreed, laughing.

“I’m going to head out and get out of your hair,” Marley said, walking out the door.

“At least stay and eat. I still have everything out. I figured you would be hungry when you woke up,” I said as we walked in the kitchen. Gravel was standing next to the sink his arms crossed over his chest talking to King and Rigid, who were sitting at the table.

Cyn was sitting on Rigid’s lap while Meg had a chair flipped around, straddling it, and was quietly talking to Cyn.

“I’m ok. I can grab something on the way to the hotel,” Marley said, looking around and headed to the front door.

“Sit and eat, and then you can make your way over there,” Gravel called from the kitchen.

“Sure I’m not butting in on your time with Ethel?” Marley called, her back turned to the kitchen, but I could tell she was smiling. She sure was feisty. She could help me keep Gravel in line.

“As long as these four are here, ain’t nothing happening,” Gavel answered.

“Yes! Ethel is so getting some tonight!” Meg yelled, pumping her fist in the air.

Lo and Rigid both groaned and Cyn laughed at Meg and high fived her.

“That’s something I really don’t want to hear about,” Lo told Meg.

“Eh, sex happens,” she said, shrugging her shoulders.

“Meg, shut it,” Lo growled. Meg stuck her tongue out at him and flipped him off.

“Sit, Marley,” Gravel ordered.

Marley saluted Gravel and sat in the chair next to Meg.

“Hi! I’m Meg!”

“I’m Cyn; this is Rigid.” Cyn motioned behind her at Rigid.

“Hey, I’m Lincoln’s daughter.”

Meg squealed and clapped her hands together. “Oh my god, Lincoln! I freaking love it!”

“Jesus Christ,” Gravel muttered under his breath.

“Lincoln, I like it,” Cyn said with approval.

“Great, now that we all know my real name, can we make Marley a sandwich?” Gravel motioned to me.

I made my way to all the fixings I had left out and quick made her a sandwich and set it in front of her.

“So, how long are you in town, Marley?” Meg asked.

“Hopefully awhile,” Marley said around a bite.

“Are you looking for a job?” Cyn asked, eyeing up Marley.

“Yeah, I will be. I was a hairdresser back in California, so I’d like to keep doing that. I think I’ll have to transfer my license, but that shouldn’t be a problem,” Marley explained.

“I knew it. You had to be some hair ninja to have such awesome hair!” Meg exclaimed, making Marley jump.

“Um, I wouldn’t say hair ninja, but I know what I’m doing,” Marley laughed, running her fingers through her hair.

“Your hair is amazing,” Meg said, reaching out to grab it.

“Babe,” Lo called before Meg could get her hands on it.

“What?” She snapped, turning her head to look at Lo, but didn’t put her hand down.

“No petting Gravel’s daughter,” Lo smirked.

“No fun,” Meg humphed as she crossed her arms over her chest and pouted.

“You were seriously going to pet Marley, weren’t you?” Cyn giggled, leaning back into Rigid.

“Please, you would have too,” Meg fired back.

“Alright, beautiful, that’s enough Meg time for you today. You two get crazy together.” Rigid said, slapping Cyn’s thigh. They both stood up, grabbing their coats they had hanging off the back of the chair.

“Oh! We should do something tomorrow! We could totally show you around. I know the cutest little house that just went up for rent in town. Then we can go shopping for house stuff!” Meg said, clapping her hands.