OUTLAW KING(9)

All I could picture was her.

“Get me the f*ck out of here,” I said.

Anderson grinned. “I knew you were going to say that. I knew I liked you for a reason. I’ll be in touch real soon. Just think, this time tomorrow, you’ll be with your crew again.”

Yeah, I’d be with my boys again… but after that, I was going to find her… I was going to find my Lindsey and fix everything that went wrong.





6


(King) *THEN*

I WATCHED as Tito lifted up his shirt and tucked a gun into the back of his baggy jeans. Mom used to yell at him for not putting his belt tighter to hold up his jeans better. She called him a goofy ass slob and would slap his shoulder. She used to be able to slap the back of his head but Tito got too tall.

I was already half an inch taller than Tito.

I couldn’t believe what the last couple summers had done for me. I gave up on my quest to play guitar like Tito and went for the weights. I lifted… and I secretly fought people. Tito knew about it. He would bet money on me. The underground fighting was amazing. But dangerous.

“What are you doing with that?” I asked.

Tito turned. He wiped his nose, laughed, and blinked fast. His eyes were dry, bloodshot. He was high as f*ck already.

“Working,” Tito said. “You know we all pack, little bro. It’s how we live.”

“Why are you doing it like this?” I asked. “I can talk to my boys for you.”

My boys were the Reaper’s Bastards. A bunch of us were slowly patching in. Others were prospects. The point was… we were in with the Reap. We were going to rule the club one day.

Tito didn’t have to do the street bullshit stuff anymore. He could patch in with the club. I could get him a sit down with the President of the club. But he refused it. It was a dumb pride thing. At least that’s what I believed at first. Watching him rub his nose told me a different story. It wasn’t a pride thing - it was a high thing.

“Don’t do this,” I said. “Come on. You know I’m packing just like you. But not like this.”

Tito put a hand out. “Little bro, you’re starting to piss me off. And I don’t want to be pissed off.”

“You’re using. I can see it all over you. Mom will kill you.”

Tito’s eyes went wider. With the flip of an invisible switch that I obviously hit, Tito charged right at me. Next thing I knew, his hand was around my neck. I slammed against the wall and felt his strength trying to crush my windpipe.

Truth?

I could have fought back. I could have taken Tito right down to the f*cking ground and made him cry and tap out. But it was my big bro. My hero. My idol. The man who was like a father to me since my old man was long gone.

“You f*cking ever joke like that again, little bro, and I will have to hurt you. I’m keeping everything cool. Everything sane and safe, man. Okay? You just go about your shit. Remember why I’m doing my shit. Don’t get in my f*cking way.”

Tito let me go.

I coughed and grabbed at my neck.

He walked to the steps and looked back at me.

My big bro… my hero, my idol… he had tears in his eyes. He pointed right at me.

“Just don’t,” he said. “Ever.”

I was frozen.

Tito took a step down and stopped again. He hung his head. “I love you, King. Man, I f*cking love you.”

With that, Tito walked down the steps and out of the house.

“I love you too, brother,” I said, still rubbing my neck.

That night… Tito would take a last breath.





7


(Lindsey) *NOW*

I SCOOPED four large spoonfuls of sugar into my coffee and stirred it up. I took a sip and it was perfect. Aunt Jane always bought the weirdest coffee and knew how to make it taste great.

“You look stressed,” she said.

“I saw something at work. About the building.”

“Selling it?” she asked.

“How did…”

Aunt Jane smirked. “Lindsey, I’ve been in the medical world for how many years? Happens all the time. Centers, hospitals, whatever, it’s all up for grab. Don’t get caught up in that. You’re not in the admin part of it.”

“Doesn’t mean I don’t care about the people.”

“Of course you do. But shit happens. You just have to ride the waves of life.”

“You always say…”

Someone cleared their throat.

I turned and saw some young man standing in the doorway with messy hair and jacket slung over his shoulder.

“Hey, D,” Aunt Jane said and winked.

“Get out of here,” I whispered to myself.

“I’m, uh, going to hit the road,” D said.

He walked by me, smirking at me, like he conquered something amazing. Aunt Jane reached for D and squeezed his wrist.

“I’m sure I’ll see you around,” she whispered.

I had to admit, even after all those years, it still made my stomach flip to see my aunt in the zone, as she always called it.

D left the house through the kitchen.

Aunt Jane looked at me with a smirk on her face.

“Do I want to know?”

“Probably not. But he kept chasing me down. He literally ran alongside me as I was driving yesterday. Then he tried to get in front of me. Like he wanted me to run him over. So I caved.”