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It took me almost a month to get my head right, to the point where I was finally ready to show up to the Wilkins’ house, ready to see her.
Susan told me that Aurora had skipped town. And she wouldn’t tell me where. She said she was sorry, but that Aurora made her promise not to.
After Aurora left, I spiraled downward. I spent my days drinking to forget. I went to jail for assault after a fight outside a bar. I joined the military, got sent to Iraq toward the end of the conflict. Came back stateside, fucked around for a while. Eventually, I got my shit together. I joined the Lords of Carnage MC. I didn’t swear off women, but I swore off relationships. Piece by piece, I put my life back together again. Life was fine.
And then she showed up back in town.
And ever since she came back, I can feel her presence. It’s like there’s this invisible string that’s tugging at me, constantly reminding me that she’s here. So I can never quite get her out of my mind.
“Goddamnit,” I mutter to myself as I pull into the club compound. “I gotta get myself together. So Rory’s back. So fucking what? It ain’t got nothin’ to do with me. I just need to stay away from her until she leaves. How hard can that be?”
In the passenger seat, Dogzilla whines.
“You keep your opinions to yourself,” I tell him.
Back at my place, I unload the ripped-open bag of kibble from the back of my truck and put it in the kitchen pantry, high enough that the dog can’t get to it. I go back out on the porch to have a smoke, just in time to see Mal walking up the road toward my house.
“Hey!” he calls, lifting a hand in greeting. “Was gonna text you, but saw you driving past and figured I’d stretch my legs.”
“What’s up?”
“Axel’s plannin’ the pig roast and bonfire for this weekend. The Wretched Souls are gonna come in on Saturday for it.”
“That’s soon.”
“Yeah. Come on.” He motions back toward the clubhouse and grins. “Axel’s calling church. It’s all hands on deck to get shit ready for a big-ass party.”
14
RORY
My first day at RJW Commercial passes in a flurry of weirdness.
I show up on time, wearing the same outfit I was wearing the day I came to see Dad here. The way Tonette’s eyes flicker over me, I can tell she’s noticed, but of course she’s not about to say anything. She sends me down to Human Resources to fill out a small mountain of paperwork that takes most of the morning.
For some reason, it hadn’t occurred to me to wonder how much I was going to be paid; the number the HR person tells me is so large it makes my eyes pop. It’s easily three times more than I’ve ever earned at any job in my life. She doesn’t seem that fazed by it, though. So maybe it’s a standard salary for someone who does… whatever it is I’m supposed to be doing here.
Once all the paperwork is processed and I’ve gotten my key card identification, HR sends me back downstairs to Tonette, who leads me to my new office.
“Here you go,” she says, pushing open the door. “It’s not much, but it’s the only executive office we had available on this floor. Travis from IT will be here after lunch to set up your computer. In the meantime, just make yourself comfortable.” She gives me a smile that’s so impersonal, she could be speaking to an inanimate object. “I’ll leave you to it.” She pulls the door quietly closed behind her.
I take a look around and start to laugh in disbelief. It’s the first and only office I’ve ever had in my life. It’s not that impressive compared to my father’s. But still, even at one-third the size of his, it’s got room for a large desk, a hi-tech-looking ergonomic chair for me to sit in, and two chairs across my desk for visitors. There’s a bank of windows behind the desk that covers basically the whole exterior wall. Against the right-hand wall, there’s a small loveseat covered in a slippery-looking corporate fabric. It doesn’t look all that comfortable, but still.I could actually sleep here.
Moving over to the desk, I sit down in my sleek ergonomic thingy, taking a moment to marvel at how comfortable it is. I reach down and start playing with the various knobs and levers to adjust the height and the back, getting so absorbed in it all that when a knock comes on the door, I startle and instantly bolt upright into what I hope is a professional pose.
“Yes? Come in,” I call.
The door opens, and Joshua pokes his head around. “Hey. How are you settling in?”
“Just fine,” I stammer, flashing him a quick smile. “Though I don’t have the faintest idea of what I’m doing.”
“Well, since you’re not buried under a mountain of work yet, you’ll have time for lunch. How about I take you out?”
“I, uh…” I frown uncertainly. “I feel like I haven’t even done anything yet. Going out to lunch seems kind of, like, wrong?”
He laughs. “It’s okay. Your dad asked me to shepherd you through the first day personally.”
“I haven’t even seen him yet.”
