The Junkyard Boys (15 page)

Clover

I was happy to see Range and Maxwell sharing words before we had lunch. Hopefully, that meant they were on the path of reconciliation. They had known each other for so long, it was impossible not to see how much they cared about each other. And with Sebastian there as well, the three of them made quite a team. Even with their relationship being strained, they worked in tandem, not missing a beat, passing mayo and mustard while grabbing chips and drinks like they didn’t have a knockdown, drag-out fight just a week ago.

My sisters were clearly enjoying themselves chatting away with the guys like they had known them forever and didn’t just meet them a few minutes ago. I couldn’t tell if there were any sparks flying amongst the groups, but they definitely took a keen likeness to Sebastian and his over-the-top politeness. I could tell it was genuine and in his nature and not something he was playing at to get noticed. He was truly a nice guy and we all thought so.

“Do you live here, too, Sebastian?” Ashley asked as she took a huge bite of her sandwich. “No, I live with my mom and aunt, but I’m here enough to call it home as well.” Sebastian answered her question while smiling fondly at her. I could tell he wasn’t the least bit embarrassed to still be living with his mother, even though he was certainly old enough to live on his own. I was sure it was out of his sense of duty that he choose to care for them versus living the life of a carefree bachelor.

“Max, you have got to tell me what the deal is with you and Little Miss Rotten Crotch. Please tell me you’ve been tested for rabies recently,” Shelly asked as she stuck her hip out and rolled her eyes so hard I thought they were going to pop out of her head. Max wasn’t fazed by her clear disgust in the least, smiling like the cat that got the cream. He looked at Range and asked in all seriousness, “What do you think, Range? Should we get tested together?” Range looked like he was about to tear Max a new asshole, and Shelly was just as shocked. Range threw his half-eaten sandwich down on his plate and took one short step toward Max when we all heard,

POP, POP, POP, POP….

The beautiful bay window in the living room shattered in an instant. Range and the rest of the guys threw me to the floor along with my sisters. I didn’t know what the fuck was going on, but whatever it was, it had the guys scrambling to action. Ashley was screaming at the top of her lungs, “Gunshots! Holy shit! Gunshots!” while Sebastian was covering her ears with his hands. Range got low and crawled over to the shattered window. Reaching down his pant leg, he withdrew a pistol I had no idea he was carrying, cocked the hammer, and commenced to firing rounds off at the unknown shooter. He emptied the clip thing and reloaded with expert ease but stopped firing as the assailant drove away. Range looked at his two friends and shouted, “Get your shit! This fucker might come back!” I had no idea what the “shit” was, but apparently Max and Sebastian did, ‘cause they crawled in opposite directions; Max to his room and Sebastian toward the closet, each returning with a different weapon. Max was loading what looked to be a shotgun, while Sebastian had a fucking bow and arrow, which made him like a modern day Robin Hood. Who were these guys and where the hell did they learn to use those weapons?

Range shouted, “Clear!” followed by Sebastian and Max shouting the same. I was so out of it, I hadn’t realized Max was looking through the other bay window and Sebastian was leaning out the front door with his bow and arrow pulled taut and ready to fire. Ashley and Shelly were lying next to me, holding each other. While Ashley cried silently, Shelly attempted to soothe her, but it was no use. She was hysterical. The guys came back into the kitchen and reached down to help each one of us up. “What the fuck was that? What’s going on?” Shelly was pissed. I could see it in her eyes.

“One of you motherfuckers better start talking and fast. We could have been killed in here. And what the fuck is it with Legolas and Rambo here? Where did those guns come from? Who are you guys?” Shelly was asking so many questions in her pissed-off state, Range couldn’t get a word in edgewise.

“I don’t know who it was, ok? I only saw a back tail light of a Harley as it pulled away.”

Oh, shit. My chest constricted painfully as I thought about what Range just said. This was all my fault. If I had just told Range that Craze showed up at my house, none of this would have happened. He could have tracked him down and talked him into leaving town before things got out of hand. He could have convinced Craze that Buck wasn’t here and was never coming back so there was no reason for him to stick around.

Ashley was still crying, so Sebastian reached out to take her from Shelly’s arms to offer her comfort, but Shelly was so pissed I could see her teeth grinding. She was never going to let this go, and I couldn’t blame her. I was afraid of what Range was going to do now that Craze had targeted his home in such a brutal way. It was time to come clean and hope it wasn’t too late.

“Do you think it was the guy looking for Buck?” I had to know what his thoughts were. I could see him making fists with his hands while he paced back and forth in front of the shattered window, but he had yet to say anything to me about what he was planning.

“Who’s looking for Buck and why didn’t you tell me?” This came from Maxwell, who was unloading his shotgun and walking toward Range in a hurry.

“It was nothing, ok? Just some biker asshole that was looking for Buck a few weeks ago. I told him he wasn’t here and I haven’t seen him since.” Range was still pacing as if that could somehow make the situation better.

“I’ve seen him since then.” I said it so quietly I had hoped no one heard me. No such luck.

“The fuck you say?”

“Um…I…”

“None of that cute shit, Clover. I wanna know what the fuck you said. NOW. You saw that motherfucker and didn’t tell me? When did you see him again?” He was nearly screaming at me now, and I couldn’t help the tears that formed in my eyes from having him angry with me over this.

“He came to Fosters’ and then he came to my house. I told him to go away, that Buck was gone and I didn’t know anything and he should just leave. I thought he did. That’s why I didn’t tell you.” I was a sobbing mess now, but the group took no pity on me as they fired off question after question.

“What the fuck, Clover? That bastard came to our house and you didn’t tell anyone? Are you fucking stupid?” Shelly was yelling right in my face like a crazed maniac.

“You’re lucky your sisters are here, ‘cause I would put you over my knee and tan your ass for being so fucking stupid, baby.” Range’s shoulders were shaking with rage, and under normal circumstances the thought of him “tanning my ass” would probably be a turn-on, but today I was completely beside myself with worry and guilt. They were right. It was completely my fault. I did nothing to stop Range’s house from being destroyed by this stranger. Thank god for Sebastian being the voice of reason and bringing calm to this situation. He sat Ashley on the couch and addressed all of us.

“Ok, everyone, just calm the fuck down. This doesn’t help us figuring shit out. Range, Max, remember what Buck taught us, yeah? Know your enemy. What do we know about this fuck nut?” I didn’t think he had it in him to be so forceful, but apparently Sebastian, Range, and Maxwell were full of surprises. How did I not know that Range had started carrying a gun? And why did they all act like they were Army Rangers or something? I wasn’t the only one who had a lot of explaining to do. So as Range went over what he knew about Craze, I thought about all the things that had gone on recently and just how strangely Range had been acting toward me, especially regarding my safety. He knew more than he was telling me and it was time for everyone to come clean, especially about this mysterious Buck. But before I could formulate my questions, Range pulled out his cell phone to make a call. It was short and to the point and could only have been to one person.

“I need you.”

Buck

My boys needed me and no matter what, I would always be there for them. I made a promise long ago to each and every one of them that all they had to do was ask and I would be there. Range never asked for much. Even when he was a scrawny little shit with dirty clothes and lice, he never asked for a thing. Whatever caused him to reach out to me must be important or he never would have called.

I packed a small bag with essentials and left enough food and water for Pussy for a couple of days. If her dumb ass ran out, she would have to be a normal cat and catch a fucking rat or something. I didn’t have time to think about that shit right now. I had to get back home. I still had my Harley, although I rarely used it. I kept it well-oiled and tuned in case I ever wanted to take it for a spin, but I hardly ever rode anymore. Too many bad memories. I never thought I would give up my bike, the open road, the freedom, but the price was more than I could bear. A price I paid every day with my memories, my guilt, my solitude.

My son would have been the same age as Range if he’d lived. I often wondered who he would have become. When I was in the life, he told me once that he wanted to be a club member, the president, and he wanted to ride a Harley just like me. At the time, I had laughed and felt proud he wanted to follow in my footsteps. What father didn’t want his son to grow up to be just like him? I was so fucking caught up, I didn’t see the dangers until it was too late and my son was dead. If I had just stored the shit somewhere else instead of at my home where my wife and son could get to it, none of that would have happened and he would still be alive, my wife would still be with me, and we would have a happy life. Who the fuck was I kidding? One way or another, my dangerous lifestyle would have ruined them, ruined me. It’s always just a matter of time before drugs, guns, and the life ruin everyone.

I jumped on my bike and kicked over the starter. Of course, my baby turned right over for me, but the vibrations under my ass from her engine caused my chest to constrict with pain, anger, and self-loathing. I’d tried to convince myself that saving my boys would somehow atone for the death of my son, but it was just a fantasy, one that I’d never believe no matter how hard I tried. All the shit I’d done in my life could never be erased by helping some lost and lonely boys become men. They would have figured it out eventually, even though they were convinced I had something to do with their successes. Yeah, I fed them, clothed them, and taught them how to defend themselves against any enemy, but they’d always had the will to be better.

At first, I hadn’t wanted to be responsible for yet another life I would ruin, so I tried to send them all away, to warn them of the dangers of being around me, but they never listened. Range would come back to the junkyard every day and just stand around watching, accessing, analyzing. I would scream and yell at him to get his ass gone, but he would return day after day. Every time I saw that boy, he looked worse and worse; too small clothes, dirty face, lice-ridden hair, and wilting away from starvation. I knew from the beginning he lived with his father in some run-down trailer with no running water, but that fucker couldn’t take care of himself, least of all a kid.

He’d reminded me so much of my son, it was uncanny. Range was so curious about everything, always needed to know how everything worked, what part went where, how each motor would perform under certain conditions. He was a natural and only had to be shown something once for him to be able to take it apart and put it back together good as new. He finally wore me down, so I gave him little jobs around the junkyard he would finish in minutes, which normally took my staff hours to complete. I paid him for his efforts, but as soon as I found out that his fuck of a father was taking his money, all bets were off. Range was too young to move away from home without the authorities getting involved, but I knew I had to do something about this worthless cunt. Something about that boy spoke to me, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t cut him loose. I found his drunken, broken-down father and made him an offer. I was no longer in the life, but that didn’t mean I didn’t know how to kill a man and make him disappear without a trace, which was exactly what I told him I would do if I ever found out he was taking the money I was giving that boy again. That drunken bastard swore he wouldn’t do it again, but I knew he was full of shit.

In the end it didn’t matter, because Range was the type of son who would never let his father go without, which normally meant supplying his booze whenever he asked. He willingly gave that bastard every dime he earned until I paid him a second visit and offered to pay for his booze each week so he could stop mooching off his son. For years, I paid that fucker until Range was old enough to get away and move out to the junkyard, where he and the rest of my boys still lived. By then, he was halfway to the grave on a one-way ticket, destroyed by drink and neglect.

Each one of my boys needed me for their own personal reasons and they trusted me to do the right thing by them. I never shared amongst the boys what drove them to me; it was their story to tell. I kept the secrets close and carried the burden of knowing. Each and every one of them held a special place in my soul, and I would kill or die for any one of them. I was on my way home for the first time in years, and god help the motherfucker who wanted to hurt my boy when I got there.

Range

God, I was such a fucking cunt. I yelled at my woman like a fucking asshole until she broke down in tears. What the fuck was wrong with me? I knew why she kept that shit from me. She wanted to protect me from him, but it was my job to protect her, not the other way around. I had to get my shit together and fix this before I lost her forever. She was sitting down with her sisters, while Sebastian stood over them like he was protecting them from more of my bullshit. I’d deal with him later. I scrubbed my hand over my face, taking in the wreckage for the first time while I tried to calm my rage at the audacity of this motherfucker. He’d destroyed my home, visited my woman, not once but twice, and ran off like the rat bastard he was. Yeah, this fucker was going down.