Grey (Storm's Soldiers MC Book 2) (7 page)

“I’m not hanging out…with him.”

I’d already promised the afternoon to my bar friends. My college life and my bar life had never quite collided and I liked it that way. The sets of girls came from two different worlds and I wasn’t sure they’d get along.

Then again, I apparently got along just peachy with a white nationalist. A simple class gap wasn’t much weighed against that.

“Yeah we can probably do that,” I said to Aubrey’s hopeful face. “I’ll let you guys know tomorrow.”

I dropped the litter and led us out into the early November cool, ducked against the winds running through the multi-story offices lining the streets. The three of us headed for the parking lot together. We crossed the street and Faith let out a whistle.

“Man, check that guy out.”

I was texting my ETA to Vaughn, but next to me, Aubrey sighed happily. “Mama likey.”

I sent the text and tried to find Faith’s gaze, but then a phone trilled not far away. It was a very familiar message tone, and I realized who it was just as my eyes landed on my friend’s focus.

Vaughn stood erect over his bike just a ways down the street. He had parked under a large tree and dark leaves fell around him in the breeze. He wore mirror shades and his full biker outfit. It all looked every bit out of some action movie.

“Vaughn?” I headed up towards him

“Vaughn?!” Faith said, scampering up behind.

He grinned and patted the seat. “Thought I’d speed up the trip a bit.”

“How’d you find me?”

“Darlin’, you know I can read, right? You got your school name written all over your damn house.”

His gaze flickered to my friends. “Ladies,” he said. “Pardon me for stealing your girl here.”

“Oh, it’s fine,” Aubrey said, playing with her hair. “I completely understand.”

“You take care of her, alright?” Faith said.

“Yes, ma’am.” He ticked his head at me. “Come on now.”

I had so much to get. My bag held nothing but makeup, really. But…it was just one day. I didn’t expect my clothes to stay on for very long anyway. And my car would be fine in student parking.

“Oh, alright,” I said, jumping on and clasping around him.

The engine rumbled to life and my college friends waved us off as we rode away. I thought back to their slack-jawed looks and buried tighter into my man.

We rode without talking out the city and up out of the Loop. The skyscrapers died away quickly and then even the perfect little suburbs started fading out with only the occasional strip mall cropping up here and there in the middle of what looked to be a vast and endless forest.

We’d headed north out of Atlanta and it looked like we were still going that way - though with the highway winds pummeling my face I could have been wrong. I never knew the world could whiz by so fast. Darryl gave me rides on his bike once in a while, but he still made his little sister wear a helmet.

Still, even if I was a bit off, I couldn’t figure out where we were headed. Up north was just national forest until the next couple states, no towns that I knew of. I’d been outside of Atlanta only to see Savannah and Augusta. This was uncharted territory as far as I was concerned.

We took an exit at a brown sign that announced some national preserve and suddenly we actually were in a forest. Thick trunks darkened the path all along the side of the roads, the bare branches rising high overhead. Vaughn turned a couple times off even the paved roads and then we were going down some gravel path.

I had a flare of panic until we passed a parking lot half full of cars. Vaughn parked and I stood up, rattled.

“Where in God’s name did you take me?” I asked holding him to stay steady. “I thought we were going on vacation.”

“We’re on it now.” He spread his arms out. “This is our hotel.”

I took a look around at the mass of trees surrounding the lot. A couple paths led off through them and one side went off into a clearing. “Uh-uh,” I said. “I’m not loving this.”

“You’ll warm up to it.” He grabbed a couple satchels off the side of the bike. I’d noticed them before, but now I could plainly see they were sleeping bags and tents. Vaughn hugged one laden arm around me. “Come on. Don’t worry about the forest. I’ve got you.”

Well, if he wanted me dead, there were a lot easier ways. I let him lead me out towards the clearing side. It opened up onto a vast field with low cut grass and hard packed dirt. We passed a few trailers and a couple villages of small tents and families, out further afield.

I knew there was really nothing dangerous out here in Georgia that wasn’t man shaped. This wasn’t the rain forest or Africa with its super predators, but still I’d never been out in the country. All this….nothing made me feel a bit antsy.

Once we were a good distance from the next tent, Vaughn set everything down with a huff. He dropped the jacket and set to work on pitching up a tan canvas tent. Seeing those vast muscles at work eased me a bit.

“You know what you’re doing?” I asked.

“Oh yeah, Pop was all into survivalist stuff. We went out into the wild for weeks at a time each year.”

I looked back at the tents, wondering whether it was the same sort of people we’d just passed. “You guys went here?”

“No, they’re just normal folk back there,” he said, putting down the last stake with a huff. “Is this your first time camping?”

“Yeah. We had enough trouble keeping a roof over our head to enjoy a night without it.”

“You’re gonna like this, I promise.”

He finished with the tent and I helped unroll the bags. They did look all spongy and warm. He pointed at a pile of wood not far away and said he would be right back.

I checked my phone and tapped my feet. There was no Wi-Fi here, barely a signal, but I did have a message. I clicked it open.

Hey, I’m sorry to steal your number from someone, but I had to reach you. I have something to give you. Can we talk, chica?

There was no name and I didn’t recognize the number, but my blood chilled. Only one person ever called me chica. I shut the phone down and shoved it in my pocket. Maybe some time away from city life wasn’t so bad.

Vaughn came back with wood and started a heap of it smoking by rubbing some twigs some magic way. I was suitably impressed. The sun swung down fast. By the time the fire got blazing, the moon was already out with the stars blinking in bit by bit.

Vaughn gathered me to him in front of the tent and we cuddled by the flickering heat.

“There’s a real simple joy in all this, don’t you think?” his voice rumbled through me.

Blanketed in him and the fire, glowing in the empty field, I had to admit, it was quite nice. “It’s pretty beautiful.”

He shook his head and stared out beyond the fire. “I think I may have been born in the wrong era. I was meant to ramble around and discover new lands.”

“You could be an astronaut,” I said, feeling sort of giggly. “I think they’ll let that leather jacket on under a suit.”

He shook his head above me. “I’m serious, darlin’. All this conflict we’ve got. It’d be better if we had places we could just keep expanding to. Get away from places we disagree with.”

It wasn’t clear if he were talking about white nationalism or about leaving it, about abandoning his family or just going somewhere with me. It was too nice a moment to ruin, but I couldn’t help but be a bit feisty.

“You know, most of the places that explorers found already had people living in them.”

I thought he’d snap back, but he just nodded thoughtfully into the fire. “I suppose that’s true. It’s too bad they didn’t just fuck each other instead of spending all their energy killing, huh?”

His face rolled towards me, hard and serious and full of fire and lust. As far as I knew, the killing had mostly been one sided, but the sight of him like that made the truth seem unimportant. I rushed my lips up to his and pushed him toward the open tent.

“Well,” I said. “Let’s not make that same mistake.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

Vaughn

Thurge and I squatted in dusty lot of the Iron Crossroads studying Asher’s bike. I had no eye for mechanical work beyond keeping Viper purring, but Thurge had asked for a hand and mine lay unused for the moment. He squinted at the metal coils of tubing, wiped grime off an exhaust pipe with a towel then used it to wipe sweat from the forehead. He beckoned and I traded him a wrench for the towel.

“You got it worked out?” I asked.

“Not in the slightest.”

“Well, I’m not sure what I’m doing in the mud playing nurse.”

He tossed a grim look at me. “You got somewhere to be?”

“Not at the moment.”

“So it’s just a hankering to be elsewhere then.”

That was no secret. I’d be paying a visit to Meagan later this evening, but she was in class now. Still, no need to wave it in my buddy’s face.

“It’s fine,” I said. “Just trying to see my purpose here, that’s all.”

“Why, you’re here to keep me company. This bike’s looking like it’s gonna be a bitch to fix, but it’ll still be easier than getting a ticket to see Vaughn Black these days.” He stood and picked over the case. “Don’t get me wrong, brother, I’m happy you found a new warmth in your life, but your absence is noted.”

“Y’all know I’m here for you,” I said. “I’ve been more than pulling weight with the weapons deals.”

“I’m not saying you’re not with the Soldiers,” Thurge said. “Just not around me, or Asher, or even your brother.”

“It ain’t personal,” I said, though my breath caught a bit even as I said it. I had no issue with them, but the sureness of their disapproval of Meagan left no room for interpretation. Time apart was becoming a mental tug of war between being with her and being around their words.

He shrugged. “I’m not saying I don’t get it. Been there once myself.”

“Oh yeah? You and a girl? I don’t remember that.”

“Yeah you do. Remember that week I kept dodging you that summer after Senior year?”

“A week?” I snickered and popped back to my feet. “I was shitfaced that whole summer. A week doesn’t even register.”

Thurge’s hazel eyes flashed in the sun and he slapped the wrench a few times. “A week is plenty for a summer love, you dark-hearted bastard. “

“Alright, alright. I guess this one’s just lasting a bit longer.”

Thurge went back to his inspection. I dusted myself off and slapped the towel back down on the seat.

I doubt he had been quite as bad off as me, but I’d still never known Thurge to be smitten.

Shit, was that what I was? Lovestruck?

I’d never been with a girl anywhere near as long as this. Once I’d gotten a good taste of a woman and a good feel of her, things wound down. That would take a week at most, maybe a couple bouts of breakup fucking after that.

With Meagan though, the time together wasn’t enough, not nearly. It still felt like this was at the beginning of something, not the end.

“Well,” Thurgood said. “I think the starter is plain dead. Not much we can do about that.”

“Asher ain’t gonna like that.”

“No indeed. Good news for you though if you feel like scampering.”

“Scampering?” I slapped the towel into his chest. “Fuck that, boy. You don’t tell me off.”

Thurge shrugged, shaded his eyes against the sun and peered around at the orchards. “The girl ain’t free, huh? Alright then. How do you want to occupy the day?”

“Well, I will need some money for later,” I said. “And playing a couple rounds of poker would be slower and gentler than you just handing it over now.”

Thurge’s self-assured grin dimmed. It was always a pleasure to be the cause of that. He knew I wasn’t lying about his chances, but he wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to prove me wrong.

I slapped him nice and friendly on the back and we descended into the bar’s gloom. Asher wasn’t keen on the news about his bike, but he was more than up for a chance to win some hands. We got a couple of other boys in, too, and had just settled around a table when the club room door burst open on the other side of the bar.

Homer and Calix stormed out. Calix looked geared up for war, but the club president’s colors were off. He had on a pitch back tee and a grim look on his greying grizzled face. My brother tossed me a nod and ran out, but Homer swept past the bar and sidled up to us.

“Boys,” he said, then to me in particular: “Vaughn.”

Homer’s body loomed over me like a furnace. He was thicker than his strength justified, but he did have that aura. Unlike most of the regulars, his head glistened with thick, black hair that hung to his shoulder. His green eyes registered each person at the table before settling back on me.

“What’s up boss?” I said.

“Relaxing after a long day?” he asked. “Your brother could use you if you’re not.”

“Could he now?” I said.

The bar thrummed with the sound of pipes kicking on. The sound ran away quickly.

“Maybe not,” Homer said.

I knew nothing of what had passed between these two. Even before I didn’t much care, and now, it was more of a preference. But family was family. The idea that Calix didn’t feel right sharing his weight with me got a bit of something bubbling in my stomach.