Chapter 5
Kane/Rome
“It’s been nice talking but I need to get back to work. They are going to open up the other side and we are going to be swamped when the movies let out.” Tara tells us as she wipes her mouth on her napkin. We’ve made her nervous and she is trying to get away from us. I can’t blame her. She only knows Oz. I don’t know what possessed Hacksaw to ask if we could sit with her. For one thing, Hacksaw doesn’t ask for anything. He’s an asshole to everyone. Second, just sitting and having a conversation with a female is something else he doesn’t do. Everyone knows Hacksaw’s attitude towards women. He thinks if he can’t fuck them they aren’t worth his time. I don’t know what his angle is. We’ve kept Tara from finishing her food and this is her first meal, so she must be hungry.
“You don’t have time to finish eating? If it’s your only meal seems like you would finish it.” I don’t know why I care but Tara seems like she may need a friend or at least someone to remind her to take care of herself. Not that I know the first thing about being a friend to a woman. I think about the conversation that has been going on.
“I’ll put it in a to go box and take it home for later.” Tara is talking to us but she won’t meet my eyes. It’s like she is nervous about it. I don’t know why it bothers me so much. Our eyes finally lock. She seems to be considering something. Her eyes look tired. I noticed this morning she didn’t wear make-up and how young she looks. She is young, too young. I feel an urge to get to know more about her.
Yes, this woman needs a friend. I may not be friend material but I think for Tara, I want to try. She may not want to take Hacksaw up on his invitation for a ride and to join him to party but she won’t be walking home alone tonight. I may do nothing more than follow behind her on my bike but it isn’t safe for her to be walking so late. There is a pull inside me to protect this woman. I don’t want to think about why, I just know it is there. She breaks her eyes away from mine. “I need to get back to work.” Oz and Hacksaw notice our eye contact and they just smile about it. Tara pushes on Oz’s arm and gathers her food and glass. Oz gets up to let Tara out. When she walks away Hacksaw starts laughing. As soon as she is back in the kitchen Hacksaw cannot stop himself.
“Rome, you have an admirer. Her eyes were eating you up. I would definitely hit that shit.” Hacksaw looks over his shoulder to make sure she is out of hearing distance.
“She’s a good girl. She keeps her head in a book and works hard. She’s not made for our kind of life. She’s not a hit and quit kind of girl.” Oz says.
“That woman’s body was made for a man just like me. I would spend all night making her scream my name. I’m still rock hard from that little moan that came out of her.” Hacksaw just never stops.
“Oz is right.” I agree with our tech brother.
“Hell Rome, you’re not like the rest of us. I’ve not seen you with one club girl since you have been at the clubhouse. I haven’t even seen you drink. You need to let loose. If you don’t want a club girl that little woman was fucking the hell out of you with her eyes. Take her up on it. She’ll spread them legs for you.” Hacksaw is getting on my nerves. I look him directly in the eye and lower my voice.
“Stay out of my business and stay away from Tara.” That just makes Hacksaw laugh harder, even Oz has a knowing smile on his face. Someone needs to worry about this woman. Well, damn, they’re right. I don’t know what came over me. If I say anything else, it will just make them worse so I keep my mouth shut. Me speaking up on behalf of someone is not my normal. I keep my mouth shut and keep to myself most of the time. The waitress finally brings our food.
“Can I get you guys anything else?” The waitress asks.
“Ketchup and could I get a refill on my coke?” Oz says with a smile. The waitress turns and leaves. I hear the bell go off repeatedly in the front and look up. Parents with kids are coming in the door. I guess Tara wasn’t just trying to get away from us. The door once more closes and the bell goes off again. It’s not long before Peggy the waitress is back with a glass of coke for Oz and a small pitcher of tea. She fills Oz’s glass with coke and puts the rest of the glass by Oz and then sets the tea pitcher on the table. She takes a bottle of ketchup out of the waitress apron she is wearing.
“I brought some tea in case you need it. We are getting full and I don’t want you to wait in case I get busy. If you need anything else just signal me and I will be by as soon as possible.” I look at the older woman. I can tell she been doing this for a while. Probably years. “Enjoy.” The place is filling up fast and I see Tara taking menus to a couple of tables. I make a point to concentrate on my food so I can get out of here.
“It’s been quiet around the clubhouse for a while now. What do you think is up with that?” Oz asks with a mouth full of food.
“You complaining? Don’t you think we deserve it after everything that went down?” Hacksaw says in a low voice. I look around to see if anyone could be listening. We’re in the back of the diner and no one is seated around us but we can never be careful enough.
“Don’t tempt fate.” I say more to myself than anything.
“We do but I am waiting for that other shoe to drop.” I look at Oz. He’s probably more bored than anything. He’s a tech guy, so if there’s nothing going on he’s probably bored out of his mind. The place is getting loud with all the noise from the families.
“Just enjoy the down time.” Hacksaw is right on that one. The bell goes off again and I turn and look without even thinking about it. Being aware of my surroundings has saved my ass more than once in my life. A tall man in a dark suit walks in with a blonde woman with him. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up. The suit does not look right on him, something is off. I’m not a man that pays much attention about what other men wear but this man is not comfortable in this suit. Tara is by the counter and something about how her body tenses up seeing the two enter doesn’t sit right with me.
“That’s Tara’s and Joey’s older sister, Sheila.” Oz tells us.
“She’s been to the clubhouse. A total bitch that thinks her shit don’t stink.” This is not something Hacksaw would usually say. If a woman will lose her panties when he wants he don’t rag on them. The pair sit a couple of booths over from us. The man grabs Sheila’s hand and pulls her in front of him and then practically pushes her into the booth. They are close enough I can see the man’s hands.
They are not a businessman’s hands. His hands have the signs of a mechanic. The little cuts with grease and oil in them. I would bet his fingernails are the same way. I don’t know why this is bothering me so much or why the man has put me on alert. I know he is trying to be something he isn’t. It’s written all over him.
Sheila never argues with the way the man roughly handles her. Her face looks strained but she has a smile plastered on her face. Where Tara doesn’t wear makeup, this woman looks like she paints it on. They may be sisters but they are as different as night and day. Tara approaches the booth and puts two menus on the table. I turn and go back to eating.
“That’s Sheila, and their mom Lena, is the same way.” I can tell Oz does not like the two women. “How do you think this gym thing is going to work out? Devil has a lot of plans for the place. He wants to start a training program for some MMA fighters. He’s been talking to Tazer’s ol’ lady and getting some information. It’s hard to believe that woman was a fighter. I guess what people say about watching the quiet ones is right.” Oz changes the subject. I finished my food and all I want to do is get out of this place. It’s a little too crowded for me.
“LET ME GO!” I hear Tara raising her voice and I watch Oz rush out of his seat. When I turn my head to see what is going on I see red and I am out of my seat and push Oz out of my way. I am next to the booth where the man and Sheila are sitting. I grab Tara’s hand and I pull her off the man’s lap. I’ve shocked the man with my moves and he doesn’t resist letting Tara go.
“Leave.” I stare at the man in the eyes. My voice is low but firm. “Now.”
“Who the hell are you to tell me to leave?” I smell the liquor on the man’s breath.
“Yeah, Liam was just being friendly. Tara needs to learn to be friendlier if she wants a good tip.” Sheila slurs out of her mouth. These two are both drunk off their asses.
“I said get your asses up and get out and don’t ever touch Tara again. You can come back when you learn some manners.” I see an older man standing by the front counter and Hacksaw goes up to talk to him. The man sits there just staring at Tara. Tara moves to the side of me.
“Thank you, but it is okay now. He gets the message.” I see that she is still upset and this is not alright. Is this how all of Sheila’s men treat her sister? I see the man behind the counter and Hacksaw walking this way. The man has a pissed look on his face and I don’t know if it is for me or the man playing grab ass with his waitress.
“Liam, you and Sheila get out and don’t come back until you sober up. I have warned you more than once about putting your hands on the waitresses. I refuse service today.” He points to the big sign above the counter that reads management has the right to deny service. “Get out and take your floozy with you.”
“That’s not a good business move for you, Bud. You know my associates won’t be very happy about this and they don’t like you already.” Bud looks like he is thinking about it for a minute.
“You mean your little gang of thugs. I will not let any of you come into my business and takeover. Get out or I’m calling the cops.” Bud doesn’t look sure about what he is saying, but I must say, he doesn’t back down. I’m tired of waiting. I grab Liam by the back of his neck and smash his head into the table and then pull him out of the booth while he is trying to recover from the blood gushing from his nose.
“Leave him alone!” Sheila screams at me and then she turns on Tara and slaps her before any of us can react. “This is all your fault, you bitch. Liam was just being friendly to your ice queen ass.” Tara is shocked but Oz steps up between the two. Sheila looks shocked to see Oz. She must be too drunk to know who we are. Then I notice her eyes. She’s not only drunk she is strung out on something. “Hey Oz. I didn’t see you there.” All eyes are on us. Everyone is whispering and parents are trying to keep their kid’s eyes off us. Several people are getting up to leave. Oz continues to ignore Sheila. Liam is trying to stop his nose from bleeding with napkins but he gets to his feet.
“I’ll go but you can damn well believe we will be back, and sweet cheeks, I will see you at home.” Liam says the first part to Bud but the second is addressed straight to Tara.
“Is that a threat?” I ask.
“It’s a fact.” He grabs Sheila’s hand and all but drags her out of the diner. The whole place is staring at us and my skin is beginning to crawl from all the attention. Bud sees his customers aren’t happy.
“Ice cream for dessert is on the house.” Tara goes to the back as fast as her legs will carry her. Hacksaw hasn’t said much and that isn’t like him. “Thank you for your help. This damn neighborhood is going to hell in a handbasket.” Bud goes back to the kitchen.
Oz, Hacksaw, and I go back to our table. I take a twenty out of my wallet and throw it on the table. Oz and Hacksaw do the same. I can’t get out of here fast enough. I try to catch a glimpse of Tara but she is staying in the back. I make it out the front door and to my bike. My bike is good but I see someone has thrown mud on the seat of Hacksaw’s bike. Shit is going to get loud.
“What the FUCK!” Hacksaw is furious. Bud comes out of the door and sees what the problem is. He’s goes back inside and comes back with a wet towel. “Do you have security cameras?” Hacksaw demands of Bud.
“I can’t afford any.” We are all looking around and there is no one around. We all know who did it but we have no proof. Bud hands the towel to Hacksaw.
“What time will Tara be getting off tonight?” Hacksaw asks Bud.
“She’s staying until nine thirty.” Bud tells us.
“We’ll be back. Do not let her leave before I get here. I’ll be following her home.” Hacksaw takes the towel and starts cleaning the seat.
“Tara doesn’t deserve trouble. She’s a good kid and a hard worker. It’s that slut of a sister that is the trouble maker.” Hacksaw looks at Bud like he’s crazy.
“I want the asshole who did this not, Tara. He threatened her as much as he did you, Bud. Liam is going to learn that you do not fuck with a Feral Steel MC brother’s bike and he don’t fuck with me. We don’t tolerate disrespect in any form and touching our bike is worse than touching our women. He may not get that now but when I find him, I can guarantee you he won’t ever forget it.” Hacksaw is seething.
“He is a member of the new street gang that is throwing their weight around this end of town. They are nothing but a bunch of young, second rate thugs. They’ve got all the business owners around here running scared. There’s been a lot of break ins, graffiti, and mishaps going on. Tom over at the hardware store had a whole load of lumber spray painted and some windows shattered. They went in through a fence that had been cut. It’s all been petty stuff up til now. A few weeks ago, they stepped it up with Tom and with Martha and Kate down at the bakery. Everyone knows it is them. We’ve had no problems with anyone else. They come dressed in suits and offer protection from the vandalism. They say they are just businessmen banding together to protect themselves and the community. Thing is, none of them own a business except one of the ringleaders, Ralph.” Bud stops for a minute. Watching for our reaction but we give him nothing so he goes on. “Ralph owns a game room and there have been rumors they are dealing drugs to a rough crowd but lately there have been young kids hanging around there. It doesn’t add up. Martha and Kate, the bakery owners, said they came by to offer them protection three weeks ago and they refused. That night they broke into the bakery and smashed every table and anything glass in there. They spray painted a message on the wall that it was just the beginning and they would be back. They paid. When you guys came in today I thought you were part of their gang. We just don’t know who to trust.”
“Have you turned it over to the cops?” Oz asks him.
“Of course, we have. You know as well as I do that the cops around here are over worked and they do not have the equipment it takes to run prints and process a crime scene. They came out and did what they could but said they only found a couple of partial prints and they had to send them off somewhere else to process them and it can take months. They suggested surveillance equipment but we can’t afford that. We are trying to organize a community watch group. We are having a meeting Monday night.” Bud looks frustrated.
“Devil needs to know about this. They have fucked with the wrong people when they touched my bike. Feral Steel may need to clean up this end of town before we open the gym back up.” Hacksaw is texting as he talks, no doubt, filling Devil in on everything we have learned.
“Feral Steel motorcycle club is who bought the gym? Did Sal tell you that the gym was hit three weeks ago? They didn’t do a lot to it, just some graffiti. Sal said they just painted over it.” Bud looks worried. “I just hope Tara doesn’t get caught up in this. She’s a good worker and a good person. That sister of hers is always getting into trouble and their mother is the same way. Lena and Sheila are well known in this neighborhood and not in a good way. I just feel bad for the kid.” Mom always said you can’t pick your family.
“Are you sure she is as innocent as she acts?” I know sometimes things aren’t as they appear. Bud has known Tara a lot of years, if there is something she is hiding this man should have noticed something. Before our club and our family gets tied with Tara, this is something we need to know. I know when Devil said this morning that Tara would be another of the people that Callie adopts that it was true. Callie gathers all the wounded and lost people she is around and brings them into her fold. I know, because I am one of those lost souls but like all the rest of the Feral Steel family, I will protect Callie from herself. If Tara is not what she appears then we need to keep her away from Callie and all the rest of our family.
“I would bet everything I own on it. She’s just a good person who had the bad luck to get born into a shit family. The only other one of them worth a damn is Joey and he’s not around.” Bud’s determined voice almost convinces me. I still want the report Oz will get. I see Hacksaw has his bike cleaned.
“Let’s get back to the club and update Devil. He may want to get those security cameras up sooner rather than later.” We all mount our bikes but Bud has a question.
“Do you think the Feral Steel motorcycle club can help us rid ourselves of these thugs? We can’t do it by ourselves.” Bud isn’t looking at us but more at the ground when he asks us this question. It’s like he is embarrassed to ask for help. The way Bud comes across to me, I can understand that. He’s not a small man, standing over six foot and his shoulders are broad. He has the bigger belly older men seem to get when they don’t work out as much as they once had and I noticed he had a slight limp. I would say he is the average looking man that is in his mid- fifties. I’m sure in his younger days he could hold his own but everyone gets older. His life is not one that requires the physical demand to stay in shape. Getting older hurts a proud man.
“Only time will tell. We’ll let you know.” Hacksaw tells Bud. Bud turns and goes back into to his diner. Hacksaw and Oz leave out of the parking spaces. I look in the diner window and I see Tara looking out at me. I have a feeling this woman is going to change my life and I am not sure that is a good thing.