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The rest of the day flew by. We ended up getting a few tow calls in and Brick showed me how to log them in before he left to take care of them. I also cashed out the customers who came in to pick their vehicles up. A few more customers came in to drop their vehicle off because they were having issues or needed routine maintenance. I filled out the paperwork the guys need in order to go through the diagnostics and whatever else they do. Brick tried to explain it to me, but everything he said went right over my head because I truly have no clue what he’s talking about.
When it was time for us to lock everything up and close shop for the day, I made sure the computers were turned off and everything was put away and ready to go for opening tomorrow. All the guys were going back to the clubhouse so I followed them there and Ghost told me where to park so I was out of the way of any other bikes coming in. Or the ol’ ladies who would be parking at the clubhouse before going around home after spending some time with everyone.
Walking in the clubhouse, I’m surrounded by Ghost and Brick, one on each side of me. We enter a large room filled with tables, a pool table, there’s a bar, TVs lining one wall with couches in front of them. Most of the tables seem to have at least one or two people at them while various women move around the room. Some of them are the ones who were in the diner that day with Quinn. The others are barely wearing any clothing and seem to be hanging all over different men as they drop off drinks or whatever else they are handing out. Every person in here has a plate of food in front of them though. No one gets theirs until the kids though. That’s nice to see because it’s not often I’ve seen that happen while I was growing up. I know I got fed last and most of the time there was barely anything on my plate when it was handed over to me.
“Autumn!” Quinn calls out, her voice making most everyone around her stop and put all of their attention on where I stand between Ghost and Brick. “It’s so good to see you. How have you been?”
I don’t answer as Quinn walks toward us. My nerves are back in full force as my eyes dart around and take everyone in.
“Um, I’m okay. Thank you again for the help you gave me that day. I ended up having the flu. I was given medicine and it helped me get over it. How have you been?” I return, keeping my voice low so hardly anyone else can hear me.
“I’ve been good. Worrying about you, honestly. My brother, Brick, was going to come looking for you today. I heard about a car being down at the lake for a while now and thought it might be you. I was gonna show up myself so I could check on you, but he didn’t want me to go there alone in case it wasn’t you,” Quinn tells me as she takes my hand and starts leading me deeper into the room.
“It was me. He actually towed my car today. I broke down at the grocery store. Ghost fixed it and I now have a job. I’m working at the garage in the office. Today was my first day,” I tell her, not really sure why I’m telling Quinn all of this information about myself.
“Before you sit down to eat, Autumn, can you come to the office?” Venom asks me, his voice not raising as if I’m in trouble.
“Okay,” I tell him, following behind him as Brick and Ghost come up behind me.
The four of us enter an office and I take in how neat and put together everything is. There isn’t a single thing out of place here as Venom motions for me to take a seat in front of his desk. He sits behind the desk while Brick remains behind me and Ghost sits next to me.
“Did I do something wrong today at work?” I ask, not sure why I’d be called into the office as soon as we get here.
“No. You did a great job,” Venom quickly says as he sits forward in his chair. “Ghost, why don’t you explain what happened and what was found.”
I turn my attention to the man next to me instead of Venom. Ghost pulls something out of his pocket and hands it over to me. I have no clue what I’m holding as I look up at him.
“Do you know what that is?” Ghost asks me.
“No. Should I?” I ask him, confusion filling me.
“I would hope not. That’s a tracker. When I was lookin’ over your car before fixin’ it, I found it buried toward the bottom of the front. I’m not sure how long it’s been there or anythin’. I simply pulled it out and put it in my pocket. That’s where it’s been all day long,” Ghost informs me as he takes the tracker back from me.
“Someone’s been tracking every move I make?” I question him as panic fills me.
“Yes. Like I said, I’m not sure when it was put on your car or anythin’. We were hopin’ you could help us figure that out. Do you know anyone who would put a tracker in your car?” Ghost questions me as if I did something wrong.
“It could be my mother. Or the man she wanted to force me to marry,” I tell them honestly.
I know it won’t take very long for them to find out all about my mother and the things she’s done to me over the years. If they do a more invasive background check than normal, it won’t be hard to find. Plus, I don’t make a habit of lying to others. It takes too much to remember what’s been said and who it’s been said to. I watched my mother get burned more than once as her lies piled up and she couldn’t keep her stories straight with those she kept close to her.
“Your mother was forcin’ you to marry someone?” Brick barks out, his voice full of loathing as I turn my attention to him.
“Yes. She’s used to a life being pampered and catered to. Knowing she can’t get her hands on my money, she figured out the next best solution to her problem. My father died years ago and she’s been using men ever since to keep her loaded up with money and whatever else she wants. Including a full staff in her house to cater to her every need. It’s not how I wanted to live and when I overheard a conversation I won’t be repeating at this time, I took off. I never once thought to check for a tracker. I would have gotten a different car, but I didn’t have the money to do so. Unless I want to alert them to my location by using one of my cards. I guess it really didn’t matter if I used them or not,” I tell them, looking between all three men in here with me.
“Give us the names of your mother and this man and we’ll find out what we can about them. Includin’ if either one of them are on their way here. That’s the only way we’ll be able to protect you and keep you here in case you want to stay here. Otherwise, they’ll find you and we won’t know to be lookin’ for them,” Venom says, his voice gaining a hard edge to it.
“I’ll give you their names. Do you have a pen and piece of paper I can write them down on?” I tell them as I wait for Venom to pull it from his desk and slide it toward me.
Writing down the names, I ask them if I can get some money out since the tracker already shows my location here in Cedar Bay. Venom tells me it’s okay if I leave now and get to an ATM or something to get the money. They plan on sending the tracker out of town with someone called a Prospect in about an hour or so. That’s all the time I have to get the money out I need. With my various cards, I can pull out enough money to keep me comfortable until I get my first paycheck. I can more than likely even pay for the repairs on my car without them being taken out of my checks. Brick and Ghost follow me back into town and I take as much of my daily limit out of four different ATMs. With a stockpile of cash on me, we head back to the clubhouse just as someone is leaving. Ghost lets me know it’s the guy who will take the tracker out of town before ditching it somewhere.
Brick and Ghost lead me back inside. After making sure I got a plate of dinner, they show me the room I’ll be staying in while here. Both men also bring in everything I’ve been keeping in the car with me so it’s no longer in there. Including what’s left of the food I had. Instead of holding that in my room, I take most of it to the large kitchen. I let them know I’m tired and head back to my room alone. It doesn’t take me long to shower and get ready for bed. Once I’m on the most comfortable mattress I’ve ever laid on, sleep claims me immediately.
Chapter Four
Brick
AUTUMN HAS BEEN at the clubhouse for about two weeks now. For the most part she stays in the room she was given and rarely comes out to interact with anyone. I’m not sure if it’s because she was sick for a few days again or if it’s something more than that. Ghost and I have been keeping an eye out for her to make an appearance though. I will say that despite being sick, she showed up to work every single day and did her job. There weren’t any excuses from her or anything. The only difference is she kept a bottle of disinfectant on hand and wore a mask. Autumn also didn’t let anyone get too close to her or the counter so she didn’t pass on whatever infection she had. If a customer used a credit card to pay, she wore gloves so none of her skin actually touched the card. And she assured everyone she was taking her antibiotics as Doc instructed while staying hydrated and eating what she could.
