Page 17 of Banshee's Lament


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Brick: I’ll ask and let you know.

Now satisfied that I’ve done what I could for the time being, I shower, get dressed, then head on down to see if I can scrounge up some coffee and maybe something to eat. As I walk through the common room, I see brothers, some from this chapter and others who are not, sitting at tables eating what looks like a full-spread breakfast. Eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, toast; each plate is piled high with food, and I watch the club girls moving between the tables refilling coffee cups. With my intent now clear, I turn toward the kitchen and grin when I see the buffet-style setup. Grabbing a plate and some silverware, I start filling my own plate, the smells causing my stomach to growl lightly despite the fact I ate well last night.

Guess watching one’s past life works up an appetite. Chuckling, I make it to the end of the line, pick up a coffee cup, then head out to find a spot to sit so I can eat.

“Yo, Banshee!” Scythe calls out. “Over here.”

I manage to maneuver my way through the throng of tables without spilling anything, then set my stuff on the table before I pull out a chair. Before I’m fully settled, a club girl with bright pink hair stops by and fills my coffee cup to the brim. “Do you need any creamer or sugar?” she asks, peering at me from underneath her lashes.

“I’m good, thanks,” I reply, brushing her off. I already pretty much stay away from the girls at home; there’s no fucking way I’m sticking my dick into another chapter’s sweet butts. Once again, longing for something like what my parents had and what my sister and Brick are creating hits me square in the chest.

Someday,I think to myself as I finally start eating.

Rory

Staringdown at my cast-free arm, I wrinkle my nose when I catch a whiff of the dry, flaky skin, causing the doctor in front of me to chuckle. “Not the first time I’ve seen that expression, young lady,” Dr. Patel teases as he puts the small saw thing he used on the counter. “Now, my techs are cleaning up Miss Sassy for you, is there anything else I can help you with?”

“I don’t think so,” I reply, grinning at him. True to his word, Dr. Terry had another friend who was able to see me and Sassy off the grid so to speak and after weeks of wearing and dealing with a cast, I am a free woman once again.

Sort of.

The voicemails from Patrick haven’t stopped and each one has gotten more and more vitriolic in nature. I don’t answer the calls, of course, but definitely keep the voicemails and forward them to my lawyer who is currently working on paperwork to oust that abusing asshole from my property. My only prayer is it’s accomplished before he does any major damage.

“Terry said you weren’t sure where you were headed next,” Dr. Patel cautiously says. “But I’d like to be added to the list of people you call if you need assistance.”

Tears spring to my eyes; Grampy’s lifelong friendship with Dr. Zack has yielded me several more people who will now keep an eye out for me and Sassy. “I can do that,” I slowly reply. “I wish I could just go back home, but I’ll never knowingly put my girl in a position to be hurt again. As my grandparents used to say, the house and contents are just stuff. People are more important, but since they’re now both gone, all I have is their stuff, you know?”

He nods, then says, “I understand Dr. Zack and his staff have been checking on your property.”

“They have, but they are only seeing the outside. I suspect based on the voicemails I’ve gotten, that the inside is a lost cause at this point.”

Which makes my heart hurt because my grams and I would scour the local thrift shops to find unique items when I was in my ‘horse’ phase. Knowing that it’s likely all of it is gone hurts my heart a bit, but then I square my shoulders because the most important thing is Sassy and I are safe and healthy once again.

“Well, hopefully, the situation will get resolved soon,” he states. “Now, let’s go get your girl so you can get back on the road.”

I grin while hopping off the table and follow him to the back where Sassy is waiting, looking like a pampered diva.

* * *

“Dammit, I can’t believe I forgot,” I mutter, staring at the steaming radiator. It was the one thing we hadn’t fixed before he passed. He’d put a temporary patch on the hole and told me to get the radiator replaced within the next hundred or so miles. Instead, the day I left, terrified and hurt, I failed to remember that and have driven well over that in my attempt to stay ahead of Patrick and his threats.

I leave the hood up and head back inside the RV where I’m thankful I have a portable generator which is keeping the air flowing for both Sassy and me. As I start the search for a tow company that can get me pulled into a shop, I hear the unmistakable sound of motorcycles roaring by. “That would be fun, huh, Sass?” I ask, my attention so focused on the search results that I don’t realize anyone has stopped until I hear a rapping on my driver’s window, causing me to shriek.

Turning, I come face to face with the most beautiful set of dark brown eyes staring at me with concern in them. I roll down the window slightly and smile, although I’m sure it looks a little maniacal seeing as he just scared the ever-loving hell out of me.

“Um, hey,” I manage to stammer.

“Saw your hood up, everything alright?” he asks, his deep, melodious voice setting off a chain reaction in my body.

I can feel myself blushing as awareness courses through me. I’ve never seen this man before in my life, yet he calls to me somehow.

Stop being fanciful, Rory. He could be a serial killer or something. Don’t let those good looks lull you into a false sense of security.Mentally shaking my head at my thoughts, I decide to tell him what’s happening.

“I was supposed to replace my radiator before I took this for any long trips,” I admit. “Unfortunately, I had to leave my home rather unexpectedly and totally forgot. The temporary patch my grandfather put on it until I could get it swapped out decided today was the day to disintegrate or something. Trying to find someone who’ll tow me into town so I can get it fixed.”

He turns his head and I see two other bikers standing closer to the front of my RV, peering under the hood. “Scythe, Kracken, is this something y’all can do on the side of the road?”

I don’t know which guy is which, but hear a deep voice reply, “Shouldn’t be too hard. How far is the town?”

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