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With plate in hand, I wandered into the common room, taking in the sights that surrounded me. A pool table occupied one corner, its surface worn with age and use, while a pinball machine stood nearby, its flashing lights and electronic sounds adding to the ambiance of the room.
In the center of the space, three couches were arranged in a square formation around a large television, inviting relaxation and camaraderie. Along one wall, a bar stretched the length of the room, its polished surface gleaming under the soft glow of the overhead lights. Barstools lined the counter.
I set my plate on the bar and perched myself on one of the stools, taking a moment to savor the simple pleasure of my snack. As I nibbled on a piece of cheese, a soft chuckle escaped my lips; the absurdity of the situation not lost on me.
Here I was, in the heart of an MC clubhouse, where bikers and roughnecks thrived, yet I was contentedly munching on cheese and crackers as if I belonged there. It was a surreal realization, one that brought a sense of amusement along with the uncertainty that still lingered.
I couldn’t help but acknowledge the irony of my current circumstances. I had spent much of my life searching for a place to belong, a sense of belonging that had always seemed just out of reach. With a father who was never around, a mother who had passed away when I was young, and no siblings to speak of, I had grown up feeling perpetually adrift, a lone soul in search of a home.
And yet, who would have thought that it would take an explosion, of all things, to lead me to the doorstep of the Iron Fiends clubhouse? It was a twist of fate that I never could have predicted, one that had brought me into the orbit of a group of individuals who, despite their rough exterior, had seemingly welcomed me with open arms.
I could tell that this was home to all of them.
It was their home, but it wasn’t mine. I was just a visitor.
Did Yarder and his club truly want me here? Probably not.
This was just for now, and I would be out back in the world alone in the blink of an eye.
Yarder
Compass and I sat alone in church, the echoes of the rest of the club’s departure still reverberated in the silence. The weight of recent events hung heavy in the air, and the urgency of our task pressed upon us like a suffocating blanket.
“How the hell can I not find this guy?” he grunted, his voice tight with agitation over not being able to pin down Anthony.
I shrugged, leaning back in my chair, exhaustion etched into every line of my face. “He’ll mess up soon enough, and then we’ll get him.”
“The fuckwad might not even be in the fucking state anymore,” Compass spat, slamming his hand down on the table in frustration. “For all we know, he’s got Faye with him.”
I shook my head. Thoughts of Faye weighed heavily on my mind for the past two days. She had left of her own accord, despite Olive’s insistence otherwise. Faye had been struggling, and I was sure leaving everything behind seemed like her only option. We all knew she was wrong, but convincing her of that obviously hadn’t worked.
“Faye left on her own,” I stated firmly. “Her ex would have to be the dumbest fuckwad in the world if he took her. He knew we were after him for blowing up the gym, and he had to know we’d wreck him even more if he hurt Faye.”
Compass sighed, a heavy exhale of frustration. “I hope you’re right, man.”
I was. Once the dust settled, I planned on tracking Faye down just to prove that I was right. “I am,” I reassured him. “Just focus on finding the ex.”
“And you’ll focus on Boone and Gibbs?” Compass chuckled.
“That, among other things,” I replied, my mind already racing with the multitude of tasks ahead. “Need to talk to the insurance company, too. Need to get the garage back up and running.” I rapped my knuckles on the table. “Oh, and I need to distract a camera crew from the freaking chaos that is headed straight for us. Why don’t you take care of all of that, and I’ll just worry about Faye’s ex?” I added sarcastically.
“Hard pass,” Compass chuckled. “At least you’ve got a pretty roommate for the time being.”
I shot him a glare, my annoyance bubbling beneath the surface. “You looking to get your lights knocked out?”
Compass raised his hands in surrender. “Easy, Bossman. I didn’t know Poppy was a sensitive subject.”
It wasn’t that Poppy was a sensitive subject. It was more that I didn’t want her reduced to just another girl in the eyes of the club. To them, she was just some random chick, but to me, she was different. The desire to protect her hadn’t diminished in the slightest; if anything, it had only grown stronger.
Each night, I found myself watching over her as she slept, unable to tear my gaze away until exhaustion finally claimed me on the couch.
“Just work on finding Anthony. The sooner we find the fuckwad, the sooner I can get you back to figuring out what the hell we think Boone and Gibbs are going to do next,” I instructed firmly.
Compass nodded, rising from his seat. “I’m gonna call my cousin up in Oklahoma, see if he’s heard anything.”
“Good idea,” I acknowledged. “Hopefully, he’ll have some leads.” Though Compass had been talking to him all along, and he hadn’t found anything that helped us.
Compass walked out, leaving me alone in church once again. I glanced around the room and sighed heavily as the weight of my responsibilities pressed down upon me.
