Highway Song: A Smokey's Roadhouse Novel (4 page)

“
No, it
’
s nothing like that. I
’
m fine.
”

Truthfully, I was touched. The grizzled old biker wanted to protect me
—
he didn
’
t even know from what. It was comforting in a way. In another way it was alarming. The band members didn
’
t pose any danger to me, as long as Rick didn
’
t recognize me, but there were people who did. I couldn
’
t let Smokey get between them and me.

The last man who tried to help and protect me ended up dead. Even with the MC behind him, Smokey would too if the people I feared found me here. I
’
d stay here only long enough to save some money so I could disappear again. Story of my life, ever since I was fifteen. I
’
d miss this place, and especially Smokey, because he was the kindest of the many men I
’
d worked for while on the run. But my life and the lives of these innocent bystanders depended on my willingness to move on as soon as I was able.

“
Don
’
t try to handle bad guys alone, Amy. My boys and I may be getting on in years, but we can still kick ass if need be,
”
he insisted.

“
There
’
s no need. Honest, Smokey. And the band members are fine. They aren
’
t bothering me.
”
I didn
’
t know whether he believed me, but he didn
’
t push. I went about my business, and when the lunch crowd left, so did Sylvie. I busied myself washing the glassware and watching the table full of musicians to make sure they didn
’
t have to wait for another beer.

Smokey took bar duty himself, serving the couple of older regulars and leaning on the bar to chat with them. When I finished all the washing-up, I eased my hip onto a stool to rest my legs for a few minutes. I still had long hours to go, since Sylvie preferred not to work evenings, and my relief server, Irene, was still sick. Both of them were older than dirt anyway. It was no secret the patrons preferred me.

A little while later, some of the younger MC members came in. Smokey scowled when he saw them, but didn
’
t say anything. These guys were more fun than the original members. They drank more and tipped better, even though I had to put up with them copping a feel now and then. It was one of the reasons for my leather bustier. Couldn
’
t feel much through that.

Jake was the ringleader of this group, and I knew Smokey expected a challenge from him sometime soon. He was one of the dissatisfied second generation who thought they could make life better around here with a little money made from running drugs and prostitutes. I
’
d had experience with both, and counted on Smokey to keep it at bay. Of course, I told no one, not even Smokey, about my reasons.

Jake thought he was going to make me his old lady sometime soon, too, or so he said. What he didn
’
t know was I
’
d cut him first. Sure, he was good-looking, but I
’
d had enough of assholes who expected to own me and control everything I did. He
’
d be fun in bed maybe. I wasn
’
t going to find out, because then I
’
d have to move on before I was ready. But that didn
’
t keep me from flirting with him. I knew Smokey would keep him in line, and flirting got more in tips.

Now and then, I
’
d notice Rick, who I needed to remember to call Rex, watching me with Jake and the other men. He
’
d quickly look away, but it was obvious to me he was watching me. I was caught between two equally unpleasant options. Either flirt with him like I was doing with everyone else, or cozy up to Jake to make Rex think I was with him.

It didn
’
t take me long to figure out that the latter would have consequences after Rex
’
s band left, while flirting with Rex would cost me nothing. He
’
d been watching me all day and hadn
’
t recognized me. All I had to do was make sure nothing could happen between us, and it would be okay. I sauntered over and gave him a wink, ignoring the raised eyebrows.

“
You boys need anything, before I go on break?
”
I asked.

The surly one they called Ike ordered a shot of scotch, and the others followed suit, all but Rex.
“
I
’
ll have an order of whatever you serve the gang-banger over there,
”
he said.

I cocked my head, pretending I didn
’
t know what he meant. He nodded in Jake
’
s direction. Jake was standing with his legs spread, telling his crew some lie about something.

“
He
’
s drinking Coors Light,
”
I said, pretending to suppress a smile.
“
After what you
’
ve been swilling down, that
’
ll taste like piss.
”

“
No kidding,
”
he answered.
“
But that isn
’
t what I meant.
”
He turned to the other band members.
“
Who wants to bet he follows her outside on her break?
”

This was turning ugly.
“
I
’
ll take that bet. He knows better than to lay a hand on me. Everyone here does. Now, did you want something to drink, or not?
”

Rex leveled a black look at me.
“
Bring me the same. But the bet
’
s on. It
’
s on you if he follows you. If he doesn
’
t, I
’
ll buy you one.
”
He gave his friends a cocky grin, like he
’
d put one over on me.

“
Sure,
”
I agreed. If Jake screwed me on this by following me out like he knew he shouldn
’
t, I
’
d take it out of his hide.

I went to the bar and gave Smokey the orders. His buddies had left, so no one was sitting there, and the only patrons in the whole place at the time were Jake and his crew at the pool table, and Rex with his friends still playing poker. They must have been just playing penny ante, because the game had gone on for hours, and only Rex was sitting out.

“
What did the shithead want?
”
Smokey asked.

“
Who, Jake? Nothing. He knows better,
”
I answered.
“
Don
’
t worry, I can handle him.
”

“
That
’
s exactly what he wants you to do,
”
Smokey said with a deep chuckle.

I smiled at him.
“
I know. And if he pushes it, I
’
ll
‘
handle
’
his balls into a nice stew and fucking feed them to him.
”
For emphasis, I make air quotes with both hands.

Smokey threw his head back and roared at that. I turned my head to see the reaction of the two groups of men. Jake had either heard his name or just assumed we were talking about him. He had a frown on his face that might have meant trouble if he didn
’
t still have some respect for Smokey
’
s leadership position. Rex and his friends merely looked curious.

FOUR

Amy

P
lease, God, let it end.
The fist connected with my belly again, and I almost puked.
“
Don
’
t you ever sass me again, missy, or that ain
’
t the worst you
’
ll get. Turn around.
”

Oh, no, not the belt.
I turned and tried to stand still as the belt cracked across my bare butt. For some reason, when I jumped it seemed to excite him or something. He always hit me harder and more times if I jumped. Tears rolled down my cheeks, but I knew better than to sob, much less scream
…

I jerked awake. The same old dream, over and over, kept me from ever getting a good night
’
s sleep. This one wasn
’
t the worst, though. This one was from long ago, when I wasn
’
t old enough or big enough to fight back. When I was in the program, my counselor said it was probably a memory. She said I could learn to do something called lucid dreaming that would help me resolve the dream in a different way. I didn
’
t know how
dreaming
about taking my father
’
s power away would help me forget what he
’
d done.

I had a choice tonight. I could go back to sleep and risk going through the whole cycle, or I could get up and walk around some. It didn
’
t always help, but waking up completely and starting my sleep over again after that sometimes interrupted it. Sometimes it didn
’
t finish even if I just went back to sleep. But there was something different this time
—
Rex showing up. I had a feeling I was in for the full show if I didn
’
t do something to interrupt it.

I got out of my narrow bed and pulled on some jeans and a sweater. It was cool enough at night that I
’
d catch a chill if I went out in anything skimpy. I skipped the bra and panties, knowing I
’
d be back inside in twenty minutes, and would see no one at this time of the morning. I put on sturdy boots, even though any snakes in the area were probably holed up somewhere under a rock. One encounter with a rattlesnake while wearing flip-flops was more than enough.

I slipped out of the old building quietly, though there was no one around to hear. Smokey sometimes rented out the rooms, but only someone as destitute as I was would want one. I was sure I was alone at the moment.

A full moon lit my way as I walked around the side of the bar and across the parking lot. When a dark shape loomed in front of me, my heart jumped into my mouth. But it was only the bus. I hadn
’
t noticed it when I left work for the evening, because I went out the back door, and it was only slightly to the side of the building in front. How could I have forgotten it, though? The band members had been a prominent part of the day. I
’
d even begun to feel as if some of them were friends.

I turned to retrace my steps, rather than risk waking anyone in the bus with my boots on the gravel. As I rounded the back of it, I jumped again when someone spoke.

“
You can
’
t sleep either?
”
he said.

“
Shit, you scared me to death!
”

“
Sorry. Want a cigarette?
”
he whispered. It was Rex, I now saw, as my eyes adjusted to the dark.

“
No. I don
’
t smoke. I
’
m going back to bed.
”

“
Want company?
”
His grin flashed in the moonlight.

“
No, I do not want company. Please stop that. I don
’
t want to be rude, but I
’
m really not interested.
”

Rex
’
s face took on a comical expression of desolation and loss, a little like the sad-face emoji I sometimes had to scrub off the bathroom walls.
“
I
’
m hurt,
”
he said.
“
What
’
s wrong with me?
”

“
It
’
s not you, it
’
s me.
”
I chuckled softly. I
’
d always wanted to use that line. Of course, I hadn
’
t always had my choice in the matter.