Simon met his gaze then waved him down from the RV. “Out. Now.”
Lana stepped forward. “How far did you get?”
Trent swallowed hard and nodded back to the RV. “Her old man tried to put up a show. I had to tie him down.”
Lana glanced to Simon then back to Trent. “Did you do her?”
He shook his head. “I was about to until you fuckers interrupted.” He smirked at Lana. “Let me guess, you want to go first?”
She smiled sardonically at him then glanced to Simon. “Please let me shoot him.”
“Not here.”
A banging noise in the RV had Simon glancing to the window. He saw a bloody face staring back at him. “Tommy, you have any weapons on you?”
Tommy shook his head slowly. “No, sir.”
Simon kicked the Bowie knife toward him. “Go cut them loose. Apologize on Trent’s behalf and tell them that they won’t have to worry about something like this ever happening again.”
“Who the fuck are you to—” Trent’s words were cut short as Lana pressed the shotgun to his neck.
“Like I told these boys, I’m your new Alpha.” He waved Trent away from the door and the man slowly stepped toward the campfire out front.
“So now what?” Trent asked, his face a mask of anger.
Simon shrugged slightly. “I reckon that’s up to you boys.”
Trent slowly crossed his arms and glared at the smaller man. “How’s that?”
Simon shrugged again. “The way I see it, you have a few choices to make.” He glanced toward the interior of the RV and waited for Tommy to return. “Have you visited any of the other campers?”
Trent’s face twisted and he nodded. “Yeah. I told them what to expect.” He spat on the ground and glared at Simon. “But we was starting with this one.” A slow smile formed and he gave Simon a lecherous look. “This one is still hot.” He glanced to Lana. “Nice ass. Like an upside down heart.”
Lana’s face twisted and she applied just a little more pressure to the trigger.
Simon stepped forward and pulled the barrel toward the ground. “Not yet.” He turned back and saw Tommy stepping down from the trailer, a handful of cut rope in his hands. “Now that all three of you idiots are together, I’ll tell you what. You have a choice.”
“Of what?” Tommy asked, unsure what they were talking about.
“You boys can either apologize to all of the decent folks here and then play nice…”
“Acknowledging that Simon is now in charge,” Lana added.
Simon nodded. “Or, you can pack your shit and leave the mountain.” He turned a dark eye to Trent. “And know that if you ever come back, I will kill you.”
Trent slid his shoulders back, squaring up. “I don’t think you got the guts.”
Jake placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. “Dude…I know this guy. He’ll cut your nuts off and hang ‘em around your neck to wear as a reminder.” He glanced at Simon then back to Trent. “Consider yourself lucky that he’s giving us a chance to keep breathing.”
“Yeah, Trent.” Simon cocked the pistol and pointed it straight up, ready to lower on Trent’s face in an instant. “Consider yourself lucky.”
Trent’s jaw bulged as it ticked. Even under the scraggly beard, it was obvious that he was grinding his teeth. “Okay fine.”
“Fine?” Simon lowered the pistol, leveling it on the man’s chest. “Fine…what?”
“We’ll leave.” His reply was through clenched teeth. “But if we ever do return, you’ll never know it.”
Simon smiled and it didn’t reach his eyes. “Oh, trust me…I’ll know it.” He raised the pistol and pointed it at Trent’s nose. “But you’ll never hear the bullet that blows your head off.”
Trent eyed him for a moment longer then slapped at Tommy. “Grab your shit. We’re out of here.”
“Only what you can carry,” Simon stated firmly. “I saw those hogs parked on the other side of the campground. Hop on ‘em and don’t look back.”
Lana leaned closer and whispered, “Don’t let them leave here alive, Simon.” Her eyes were wild and she was shaking her head. “You’ll regret it if you do.”
Simon watched the men march toward the bikes and decocked his pistol. “No.” He glanced at her then nodded toward the RVs. “There are kids here, Lana. I would regret it if they watched their new leader kill three men in front of them.”
She slowly smiled and stepped closer to him. “You’re ready, aren’t you?”
“I was born to lead.” He pulled her close and kissed her. “Just like you said.”
“Thank you.”
Simon turned to see a leggy blonde with a nasty bruise on the side of her face. Her top had been torn and her fake boobs threatened to spill out.
“I couldn’t stand by and let something like that happen, ma’am.” Simon averted his eyes as she tugged at the shirt.
The roar of engines echoed through the woods and the people of the campground watched as the three men spun rooster tails of dirt behind them as they split.
Simon turned and watched as people seemed to ooze out of their campers and trailers, their eyes still searching for the outlaws. “It’s okay, folks. They’re gone.”
“For how long?” Simon turned and watched as Hammer slowly made his way out from behind a trailer. “They’ll be back, ya know.”
Simon shook his head. “Not if they know what’s good for them.”
“That’s just it,” Hammer replied. “They’re too stupid to know what’s good for them.”
Simon shrugged. “Then I’ll learn ‘em a thing or two.” He tucked the pistol into his waistband and hooked his arm around Lana. “For now, we fortify the perimeter. We’ll set watches if we have to.” He turned back and raised his voice so that all could hear. “Anybody tries to fuck with you, they’ll answer to me.”
“And who are you?” a man asked, still clinging to the door of his camper.
Simon turned and gave them all a
