“Strange that you’re up, Grumbler.”
“Strange?” I half turn. “Just because I’ve got better things to do than stay in bed all day?”
“Got any extra?” Niran walks in, pushing past the prospect, his hands wiping over the short dark hair on his head.
“Sure,” I tell him with a grin toward Wrangler. Watching members eat is all part of the hazing prospects have to go through. “Eggs?”
“Yeah. Thanks.”
Wrangler shakes his head. “I said strange because a bitch was trying to get onto the compound just now using your name.”
“A bitch?”
“Yeah. Young kid. She was at the gate, crying and shit. I sent her away. She was just probably using a name that she’d heard, figured she was going to land being a baby daddy on you or something. But it wouldn’t be you. You don’t like them young.”
Someone was asking for me? “She give a name?” I pause with the spatula held in the air.
“Liz?” Wrangler’s eyes crease. “Allie? Oh yeah, that was it. Alicia.”
“Alicia?”
“Trouble?” Niran’s standing at attention.
“How did she get here?” I reach into my cut for my phone.
“Uber or Lyft or something. I don’t know.” Wrangler looks confused.
“Cab took her away?” Christ, I hope she’s gone home. Why the fuck had she come to see me?
“Nah, it had left. She’s walking into town.”
Walking? It’s fucking three miles to the city, another three to get to her momma’s house.
Turning off the burners, I start to move fast. “You can forget your fuckin’ patch!” I yell at Wrangler, pushing his shoulder hard as I rush past.
“Why? What the fuck, Grumbler?”
His voice fades behind me as I rush out of the clubhouse and jump onto my bike. Starting it, I’m not surprised to hear another come to life with a roar behind me. I haven’t had to say a word, Niran knows me, and knows I wouldn’t take off unless there was trouble. And when trouble surfaces, brothers have your back.
Connor, presumably having taken over from Wrangler, is manning the gate. He has it open before we reach it. Once on the road, I continue down the track until we reach the highway, then head into town. I don’t go fast, my eyes scanning the kerbside in case, heaven forbid, Alicia’s been struck by a car.
I can’t believe that prospect just kicked her out without even bothering to check with me. When it comes to voting him in, he’s not getting my vote.
Chapter Fifteen
Grumbler
One thing I’ll say, young girls walk fast. It’s almost ten minutes before I spy a shape that looks like her, and drawing closer, recognise the long blond hair hanging down her back. Overtaking, I pull up just in front of her.
Not knowing what’s happening or why, Niran brings his bike to a halt behind.
“Alicia. What the fuck?”
I’m off my bike and hurrying over to her. Oh fuck. Her face is red, her eyes and nose look raw, and tears are still falling. She tries to wipe them away on a tissue which is already crumpled and soggy.
I gentle my voice. “Alicia, baby. What’s happened? You need your mom?” I might never have had a female riding behind me, don’t even have a pillion seat on my bike, but I’ll just squash myself up to make this work. This is an emergency and I don’t hesitate. “Get on my bike, I’ll take you to her.”
Her eyes widen, “No, please.” Her voice breaks. “I-can’t, I can’t speak to her. Not now.”
I’m rapidly thinking. Alicia came to me, and she’s not ready to speak to her mom. “Has something happened?”
My question starts the tears falling again. As Alicia drops her head, wracking sobs shaking her body, Niran comes up alongside me, suggesting quietly, “I think we should get her back to the clubhouse. Get Lost here with Patsy.”
I still think she needs to go home to her mom. But the clubhouse is nearer, and in the state the kid’s in, with her needing to hang onto me on the bike, a shorter journey might be safer. Once there, I can call Mary, and get her to come collect her.
Gently I put my hand on her shoulder. “Come with me. We’ll go back to the clubhouse. See if we can get whatever it is sorted.”
“It can’t be sorted,” she wails. Then, she clutches at my cut. “It will never be right, Grumbler.”
A feeling of dread grows in me. “Someone hurt you?”
I already know I’m right, and her nod confirms it. I feel sick and hope the worst I’m thinking isn’t the truth. That I’m not the only one thinking it is confirmed when Niran again speaks into my ear, so quietly, she wouldn’t be able to hear it.
“Eva might be needed.”
Eva’s a nurse. He’s right, she might. She’ll come running if we ask her.
“Come on.” I encourage her forward with my arm. “Get on the bike, darlin’. I’ll go slow. No need to be afraid. You just hang onto me.”
She’s like putty now, obeying when I tell her what to do. It’s going to be hell for me getting on with a passenger already sitting and taking up part of my seat, but she’s upset and inexperienced, so I’ll have to manage it. I pull out the rear pegs and put her feet on them. “Just keep them there, okay? And hang onto me. Mind the exhaust, it’s hot and you could burn yourself.”
When she’s situated where I want her, I try to ease my uncooperative leg over the seat, thankful to Niran steadying the bike for me. I raise my chin to him when I’ve got it upright and balanced, and kick up the stand. Alicia’s so slight, I barely notice the extra weight there.
Then, knowing I owe it to Mary to take care of my passenger, I ease out, doing a U-turn over the meridian, and head back the short distance to the clubhouse.
Alicia’s hands clutch at me as though holding a lifeline. At first, I think it’s because she’s scared of the bike, but
