Chapter Five
Diesel
After leaving Sledge’s office, Diesel headed outside to his bike. He needed to ride. He needed to clear his head. He needed to figure out a way to get Rachel to talk to him. Diesel needed a lot, but nothing would come to him unless he figured out a way to get Rachel to trust him. He knew that was her problem. She didn’t trust anyone. For such a young woman, she had lost her faith in people; which was another piece of the ‘Rachel puzzle’, Diesel wanted to solve.
Throwing his leg over his bike, he turned the key and pressed the button. A loud rumble filled the air. Just the vibration was enough to calm his soul. Most people didn’t understand the peace a person felt on the back of a bike. The freedom. The openness. It all soothed Diesel in a way nothing else ever could.
Taking off out of the parking lot, Diesel headed East towards the Trinity River. Whenever he needed time to himself, Diesel would always make a ride over to Continental Avenue Bridge. Then he’d park his bike and take a five mile run around the Skyline Trail. It beat the hell out of running in place on a treadmill at the clubhouse.
Two hours later, Diesel made his way back into the house. He needed a shower, but first, he wanted to check on Rachel. The entire time he was gone, thoughts of her filled his head. He knew he needed to gain her trust but still wasn’t any closer to figuring out how. Diesel knew very little about Rachel. She was quiet, polite, and kept to herself for the most part. She never really interacted with club members or the house girls. Therefore, his information was extremely limited.
Stepping up to the door, he heard Rachel’s voice coming from inside, but no other noise could be heard.
“Yes, Mom,” she said quietly. “I know.”
There was a length of silence that Diesel wondered if the conversation had ended. He was just about to knock when Rachel’s voice met his ears again.
“No, I didn’t tell Sledge anything. And honestly, I hate not being truthful with the Henchmen. You are the one who sent me here, but you won’t let me tell them what is going on. I just don’t understand why?”
Diesel could hear the frustration in Rachel’s voice. But that wasn’t what got his attention. Her mother sent her here? But why? And who was her mother? How did she know the Henchmen?
The longer Diesel listened to the conversation between Rachel and her mother, the more questions he had running through his head. Finally having enough, he raised his hand and knocked loudly on the door.
Shoving the door open, he watched as Rachel’s eye went wide. “I have to go, Mom,” she said, ending the call and placing her phone in her pocket.
Before Diesel had a chance to demand answers, his eye landed on the bag at the foot of her bed. It was filled with clothes.
“What’s going on?” He asked.
“I’m leaving,” Rachel answered, like it was obvious.
“I can see that, but why?”
“Because I need to. I brought danger here last night and that is unacceptable,” Rachel explained, zipping her bag.
“Then tell me what is happening so I can remove the danger. Then, you won’t have to go anywhere,” Diesel tried, but like the previous times - he failed.
“I can’t do that,” Rachel sighed.
“So.” Diesel said, trying for another angle. “Your mom. What does this have to do with her?”
Rachel’s eyes shot to his. A look close to surprise and fear crossed her face. Diesel could understand the surprised looked, but the look of fear confused him. Was she afraid of her mother? Did her mom send that man after her?
“My mother doesn’t have anything to do with this,” Rachel replied quickly. Too quickly for Diesel to believe her.
“Do you always make a habit of lying?” Diesel asked.
“No.” Rachel responded. “I actually hate lying.”
“Then why are you doing it? You’ve lied to me since the moment you woke up. Why?” Diesel just wanted to help. The protector in him was tearing him up inside.
“I don’t know how many times I have to say this,” Rachel sighed in frustration. “I can’t and won’t explain any of this to any of you. Not you. Not Sledge. Not anyone.”
“So you’re just going to leave?” Diesel asked, trying to calm the situation.
“It’s the only option,” Rachel replied.
“No, it’s not,” Diesel countered.
“It’s the only option that I am allowed,” Rachel amended.
“I wish you would reconsider. We can protect you here, but we need to know ‘who or what’ we need to protect you from. And the ‘why’ wouldn’t hurt either,” Diesel clarified.
“Protect me?” Rachel asked, raising an eyebrow. “He found me here. Look at me? Does it look like I was protected?”
“That’s not fair. We didn’t know that there was an issue. How could we do our job, if we didn’t know there was a job that needed to be done?” Diesel countered. He hated that Rachel had gotten hurt, but he wouldn’t shoulder blame that wasn’t his to carry.
“I’m sorry. You’re right, it wasn’t y’alls fault. It was mine.” Rachel said.
Diesel didn’t know what to say. Without details, he couldn’t rebuff her statement. He wanted to help her, but as it was, there was nothing he could do.
“Please don’t go.” Diesel tried one last time.
“I wish I could explain things to you. I really do. But I can’t,” Rachel said.
“Can’t or won’t?” Diesel asked.
“I guess both,” Rachel admitted.
Diesel watched as she finished folding the last of her clothes and placed them in the duffle bag. When Rachel zipped it closed, Diesel walked over to the bed and lifted it to his shoulder. Turning around, he made his way to the door, holding it open for her to pass.
“Thank you,” Rachel whispered as she stepped closer to his side.
“You’re welcome,” Diesel replied.
Both stood on the threshold, staring at each other. It wasn’t until Viper walked into the hallway and called Rachel’s name, that they separated.
“Where are you going?” Viper asked.
“I’m leaving,” Rachel told him.
“I heard. But why?” Viper asked, concern evident in his voice.
Again, something about their interaction bothered Diesel. It was another puzzle piece. He was missing something, but had no clue what it could possibly be.
Maybe Rachel and Viper had a relationship at some point, Diesel thought to himself.
But that thought seemed to bother him even more. Viper was probably old enough to be Rachel’s father. Diesel wasn’t naive, not by a long shot. After all, he was the only guy in the club with a Dishonorable Discharge for being caught with his pants down - literally. He knew some women liked older men; just as some men liked older women. But the thought of Rachel and Viper together made Diesel’s stomach turn.
“He found me. I can’t stay here. There are children here - babies. If anything happened to them because of me...” Rachel admission brought Diesel back to the present.
What the fuck! She’ll explain to Viper, but not him? Diesel fumed on the inside.
“Nothing will happen to the kids,” Viper tried to reason. “There is no valid reason for you to leave.”
“I have to go,” Rachel repeated.
Grabbing her bag from Diesel, she walked passed him and Viper and made her way towards the front of the house. As she walked through the living room, Amber stepped into Rachel’s path.
“I wish you would stay. I know we haven’t talked much, but I’m going to miss you,” Amber said, pulling Rachel into a tight hug.
“I’m going to miss you, too,” Rachel whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
“Then don’t go,” Amber pleaded.
“I have to,” Rachel choked out.
“But who will teach my princess to draw pretty pictures?” Amber asked.
Diesel watched as the tears fell down Rachel’s cheeks. He wanted to wrap her up in his arms and promise to make everything better. But he couldn’t. Without knowing the enemy he was facing, his hands were tied.
“Amber,” there was a warning in Reaper’s voice.
“Oh, you hush!” Amber turned to her husband. “Stop her. She can’t leave.”
“Amber, it’s her choice. I can’t order her to stay.” Reaper explained. “She isn’t a member.”
“We’re going to miss you,” Amber whispered. Hugging Rachel, a final time, Amber left the room.
Clearing her throat, Rachel addressed Sledge and Reaper. “Thank you for all you have done for me. For giving me a place to stay. For that, I will forever be grateful.”
“But not grateful enough to tell us what the fuck is going on?” Reaper replied.
“I wish I could,” Rachel responded, unaffected by Reaper’s gruff tone.
“You can. You just choose not to,” Sledge commented. “Just know, when you change your mind, we’ll be right here - waiting.”
“Thank you,” Rachel nodded.
Diesel followed behind her as she made her way out the door and towards the hot pink and chrome Harley parked closest to the porch. For a chick bike, it was beautiful, just like the owner.
“Hey, if you need anything, and I mean anything at all - call me,” Diesel said, handing her his phone. “Program your number in my phone.”
Rachel did as he asked, which surprised him. He thought she would deny the offer of help. But, when she handed him his phone back, he shot a text to the number she entered. Rachel’s phone gave a series of bell tones, indicating she had gotten his message.
“Take care of yourself, Kid,” Diesel told her, stepping away from the bike.
“I’m not a kid, but I will,” Rachel smiled back at him.
Diesel stood there watching as Rachel got on her bike, started it, and left out of the parking lot. His gut twisted. Rachel was truly on her own now. Unless she reached out to him or one of the other Henchmen, she would be completely alone. And that thought tore him up inside. Nobody deserved to face life’s struggle alone.