Crank's Rescue (Hell Raiders MC Book 6), page 11
"No problem. I'd be passing right by there anyway."
I figured it was more than that, but left it alone. Sarah came back in less than fifteen minutes with a small overnight bag. "I think I got everything. She had a bag ready, so I just added her phone, keys, and purse."
Runner accepted the bag and stood. "If she needs anything else, I can take care of it. It'll give me something to think about instead of what Lanea is doing."
"Wondered how you were going to handle that. It won't be easy to stay back."
"No, it won't. This way I can hang back a little for now." He pulled his phone out and tapped out a text. "Okay, my ride is on the way. I'll head on out to the road, and see you in a couple days."
Sarah sat down with me as he left. "What next?"
"We pack up and head back." I wished we could stay there a while longer, in between, and enjoy getting to know each other better. "When we have this all wrapped up, I'd like to come back, though."
She smiled and raised a hand to brush my hair back out of my eyes. "I would too." The quick hard kiss caught me by surprise, and she drew back before I could deepen it. "I'll go get our stuff packed. If it's okay, I want to clean the room so Chancey doesn't have to do it when she gets home."
Pride rolled through me again. My woman took care of her friends. That kind of loyalty was a perfect quality in an ol' lady. "I'll help. She'll be away a few days, right?"
"I think it's usually three days, but I don't know if that's for the baby or the mother, or both. I can't imagine how she'll be able to walk for at least a week after that." Her laughter spilled over, making me grin.
"Shit, I know. And I sure as fuck can't figure out why anybody would do that more than once." I stood and pulled her under my arm. Time for a confession. "When we're fucking, I want more than anything to put my kid in your belly. Watching you grow our baby would be fucking incredible. But I never really thought much about how the kid gets out of there. I don't know how I could ask you to go through that."
Sarah went still against my side when I mentioned my little fantasy, and when I stopped talking, she didn't move. "You would want a baby with me?" Why did she sound like that was so far-fetched?
Had she not considered a future with me? "I want everything with you. A home. Kids. Getting old together." My chest hurt with the tension. "But I get it. I'm not exactly the kind of man a woman like you wants to spend her future with." Fuck. Could I just walk away and let her live her life?
A sudden tremor shook her. "I thought you wouldn't want anything more than a fling with me, or whatever they call it." She turned, facing me. "Crank, you live a different kind of life than me. Women throw themselves at you. I'm ashamed that I did it, too."
I sat back down and pulled her into my lap. "You're right. My life is very different. I fucking make my own rules, and that comes with risks. I, and the Hell Raiders, don't give much of a flying fuck about the law, but we have…I guess you'd call it a code. We hold each other to a standard, and while we know the rest of the world sees it differently, we feel like there are some things so basic they cross all lines of society."
"You have a code? Like that old Code of the West thing?" She sounded surprised.
"I don't know anything about that. But no Hell Raider will hurt a kid, or stand by and watch one be abused. We don't beat on our women. We bend over backwards not to harm innocents in our business." Putting it into words strained my abilities. "We'll fight like a cornered wolf if the need comes, but we don't pull civilians into our shit."
She looked a little shocked by that, but nodded her head. "You have honor."
"Some people would call it that. To us, it's just how we are."
"And what about all the women? I'm not stupid. You're sexy as sin, and so are the other Hell Raiders I've seen. I know how women act around men like you. They all want your attention." She'd obviously been thinking about this.
"Yeah, there are women. Sometimes a lot of them." I leaned down to brush my lips over her forehead. "The outlaw life has been made to look fun to a whole bunch of people who watch it on TV. And, fuck, it's always held a strong attraction to certain women. Back home, if we have an open party, a lot of chicks show up, hoping for a little taste of the wild side. And there's the club girls. They're not ol' ladies, and some are available whenever a Brother is lonely. They're also under Club protection." Fuck, there was so much to explain.
"That's what I mean. I can't compete with that, and I can't share. To me, that would be cheating, and it goes against everything I believe." The seriousness of her voice backed up her fears.
"Sarah, I'm no saint. I haven't lived a celibate life. I've fucked a lot of chicks. But I don't cheat. If I'm with a woman, I'm there a hundred percent." I tipped her chin up to make sure she could see what I was saying. "I'm with you Sarah. You're my woman. I won't allow another man to touch you. And I expect that same kind of possessiveness from you. If you let some bitch rub up all over me at a party, to me, it would say you didn't care enough to tell her to back the fuck off."
The way her eyes widened told me I'd reached her. "But I thought…"
"You thought I would continue to fuck any chick that offered?"
She nodded and lowered her gaze. Yeah, that's what she fucking thought.
"I don't know, I'm sure some bastards do that. That's not me. When I make a commitment, I keep it." I couldn't think of a clearer way to say it.
"Are we…committed? Together?"
"I hope like fuck we are. I want a future with you, even if you do deserve better than me. I’m a selfish bastard for that, I guess. But I can't be enough of a good guy to just fucking let you go." The words surprised me a little. I'd been feeling it, thinking it, but had no intention of saying it yet.
Sarah slipped her arms around me and hugged me tight. "Good."
Something inside me broke. She wanted me, and all that meant. I couldn't even begin to fucking process that. It had to wait until I had a little time to put it all together. I leaned down to kiss her. "Let's go get our shit packed and clean up our mess. We got people waiting for us." It was the coward's way out, but at the moment, I didn't give a fuck. Besides, it was true.
It took a little longer to pack our shit than I expected. Sarah wasn't the kind of girl to travel with one change of clothes and a little makeup. I watched with something like amazement as she folded clothes, separated out what she'd already worn, and packed everything. I'd never known a chick to be so particular over things like that.
Cleaning up turned into a more involved prospect than I figured, too. Not only did Sarah insist on stripping the bed, she put on fresh sheets and stuff. Then it was time for the bathroom. It got a thorough cleaning, and fresh towels. And then the floors. By the time we finished, I felt like I needed an apron and a housekeeping cart. But it made Sarah happy to do something for her friend, so I didn't mind.
Finally, we started back to Randolph as night fell. Wary of what we might be rolling into, I stopped long enough to call ahead and check in with Fergus' man, and double-check my weapons. I'd rather keep Sarah somewhere safe while I went after Sennit, but without my Brothers here, I couldn't trust anyone to truly look out for her. That kind of vulnerability didn't sit well with me.
Outside town, we met up with one of the Walkers and switched our vehicle for another big SUV, just another make, model and color. The precaution against Sennit's men realizing we were back in town wouldn't fool anyone who looked too closely, but maybe it would give us a little time.
Checking in at the rundown little motel Fergus and I chose to use as a sort of base only took a few minutes. Sarah looked around the little room like it was something stuck on the bottom of her shoe. Shame rolled through me. She'd never been in a place like that, and I didn't like being the one to bring her to it. She deserved nothing but the best. Right fucking then, I knew I would do anything I could to make sure she had the best life had to offer.
Sarah:
The room stank. The dim light beside the bed revealed a carpet crusted with filth, concealing both the color and the nap. Grime hid the dingy wallpaper near the door, and at the corner leading to the bathroom. The dark print of the bedspread blended with several questionable looking spots.
Through my work, I had seen appalling living conditions, gone into homes crawling with cockroaches and other vermin, and conducted investigations in places filled with unimaginable filth. But this was different. I was expected to eat and sleep here, in this little patch of unsanitary hell. Could I actually do it? I wasn't so sure. The door closed with a thud, startling me, and I turned to face Crank, ready to run.
He looked around with the same distaste I felt. "This was a mistake. We'll find something else." Someone tapped at the door before he could open it. He raised one finger to gesture for me to stay silent, and quickly stepped outside.
My pulse hammered in my head while I waited. Was something wrong? Had Sennit figured out what we were doing?
Crank came back in after just a moment, followed by another man. "Sarah, this is Two Case, one of the guys keeping an eye on Lanea."
The man gave a sort of half nod in my direction.
"Hi. Nice to meet you."
His eyes flickered toward me, but he stayed silent.
"Looks like I spoke too soon, Sarah. There's no other place to stay that's close enough. Lanea's at a foster home just across the street." Crank seemed more upset about than I was.
I shrugged a little. "It's okay." I glanced around. "It's really not that bad." Yes, it was, but I had to try to convince myself.
"Shouldn't be for long. Two Case said Sennit is already sniffing around."
"Is the home a good one?" I went to the window and pulled the flimsy curtain aside to look out. I suddenly realized where we were. "Oh, no, it's not. I have tried to get those people out of the foster parent program for the longest time. But I never had anything really solid to go on."
Two Case nodded. "Yeah, they bad. Maybe you'll get the dirt to shut them down now."
"I hope so. I know there's more going on there than crowded conditions, but the children are always afraid to talk." I didn't blame them. The husband was a formidable person physically, and very stern. The wife seemed meek and quiet, and very clearly deferred to him on everything. Shutting them down seemed like a reasonable cause to stay in the nasty little motel for as long as it took.
"Any word on how it's going so far?" Crank pulled out a cigarette and lit it before offering the pack to Two Case, who declined. That smell, one I'd always detested, comforted me a little. My mind associated it with Crank, and Crank meant safety.
"Nothing unusual so far. They brought her in, the woman told her the rules and showed her to a bed. The man's not home yet. I expect if there's anything tonight, it'll be from him."
"Maybe one of the kids will talk to her. I know in some homes they warn newcomers about things that can get them into trouble." At least I hoped they would talk to Lanea.
Two Case nodded. "They might. Or she might be too Indian for them."
That hadn't occurred to me. "Will she be okay?"
"She's used to it. We all are. Plenty of people around here still believe the only good Indian is a dead one, or that we all belong in teepees on the rez." He gave an expressive shrug. "Just part of life."
Crank gave a little cough. "Any place around here good to eat?" Just like that, he shifted the conversation back to neutral territory. "I'm about starved."
Two Case grinned, showing startlingly white teeth. "Yeah, man, there's a little dairy bar thing about halfway down the block. Best damn cheeseburgers in the state. Tell them I sent you, and Julie will treat you right."
"Perfect. Sarah, you ready for a burger?"
"Most definitely. I should probably stay out of sight, though. If one of the children, or the parents, see me, they'll recognize me." I didn't need to follow the logic to see how that could endanger Lanea.
"You got a spare ball cap, Two Case?" Crank gave me a speculative look. "You don't normally wear jeans to work, right?"
"No, why?"
"They're not likely to recognize you dressed differently and with your hair covered, unless they get a close look at your face."
Two Case nodded. "He's right. Back in a minute." He left, and came back moments later, with a hat.
With Crank's help, I threaded my hair through the back of the hat in a sort of pony tail. It felt weird to pull the brim down over my forehead.
Two Case opened the door. "That does it. No one will know you unless they get close." He offered a hand to Crank, who accepted. "I'm gonna get back over here and see if there's anything new. And I'll see what I can do about the room."
The thin disguise left me feeling incredibly vulnerable as we left the room. I kept my head down, and stayed close to Crank. The walk to the dairy bar seemed to take forever, but finally, we arrived without anyone questioning me. Relief flushed my face with heat.
Crank gave the girl at the counter our order, then led me to a booth at the back. He leaned close. "Stop trying to hide like you're on the FBI's most wanted list, or some shit. Just be normal and no one will question it."
He was right, of course. I tried to stop acting like a fugitive. The food came and we ate without talking, listening to the ebb and flow of conversation around us. By the time we finished, I definitely felt better. I sat back, trying to decide if I could finish the last half of my chocolate shake.
"Miss Channing? Is that you?" The voice sent ice water rolling down my spine. "Who's your friend? We've missed you at work." Jared Sennit strolled over to our table.
I must have gone white as a sheet, because Crank squeezed my hand. "Mr. Sennit. What a surprise." My brain stuttered to a standstill. Our whole plan was blown now. We would never get another chance at making this right.
Crank stood and offered Sennit a hand. I couldn't help but swell with pride at the way Crank towered over him, all muscle and aggression. "You must be Sarah's boss. Have a seat. I'm James Harrison." He took Sennit's hand, despite Sennit holding back.
"I really don't have the time. I was just surprised to see Miss Channing here." Sennit moved back, trying to get out of Crank's space.
Crank followed. "No, really, I insist." He pulled a chair over from a nearby table. "Sit."
Clearly reluctant, Sennit sat. "I wouldn't want to intrude."
"Oh, but you're not. I intended to come see you at your office later. You saved me the trip." Crank's bloodthirsty grin made Fergus seem harmless.
Sennit swallowed hard. "What business could you have at my office?" Another man putting him on the spot definitely shook him.
"Several things, actually. Are you aware someone broke into Sarah's apartment?"
Sennit shook his head. "No, I hadn't heard. Who would do that? Was anything taken?" He glanced my way.
I started to answer, but Crank interrupted. "Nothing important. But someone claiming to be you also stopped by her parents' house, and said you were having a relationship with her."
"Why would someone do that?" He seemed more sure of himself now.
"I'm not sure, but I'm going to find out. On both accounts. Sarah is my fiancé, and I won't have anyone hurting her, or claiming her." He gave that bloodthirsty grin again. "Where I'm from, that's a killing offense, and I won't hesitate."
Sennit smiled. "Where are you from, Mr. Harrison, was it?"
Crank's eyes went cold and he pulled his jacket aside a little to show the handle of gun tucked into his waistband. "I'm from where-the-fuck-ever I want to be. I make my own laws, and enforce them with blood."
The laughter sounded forced, and Sennit definitely turned a shade or two paler than normal. "Very convincing, Mr. Harrison." He turned toward me. "Miss Channing, I never took you for the sort who would take up with a thug."
Crank leaned in close. "A thug is just a pussy putting on airs, Mr. Sennit. I promise you, I don't make empty threats, and I don't front." He leaned back. "Oh, hey, Sennit, how's that chick who lived down the street from your folks when you were high school? What was her name? Fuck, I can't remember it now. You know the one, she got raped and beaten half to death. You must have been, what, sixteen?"
Sennit's face went red. "Miss Channing, I'll expect to see you at work tomorrow. I'm afraid I don't have time for these games." He stood.
"No, she won't be at work until I get this shit sorted out." Crank stood with him, once more crowding into his personal space.
Sennit glared at him for a moment, then turned and stalked away.
Finally, I could breathe. "Oh my God! He knows! We have to get her out of there."
Crank sat down and took my hands in his. "Look at me, Sarah." When I complied, he continued. "He doesn't know fuck. That's why I pushed him. He'll be looking at me, trying to figure out my next move, and not focusing on details that seem normal."
"But he knows we know about him."
"He knew that already. But he thinks he's smarter, so there's no way we could get anything on him. And now, he's more concerned I'll bust the windows out of his car than anything else." He grinned. "And I might do that, just for the hell of it."
I couldn't really follow his logic. "So you let him think you're just some petty criminal?"
"Exactly. He'll be worried for his personal safety, just in case I decide to beat the piss out of him. But he'll disregard me as any other kind of threat, and he'll continue business as usual." He reached over to brush a thumb over my lip. "That's what we want, Sarah. He'll be too busy watching for me to jump out at him from a dark alley that he won't consider I might be watching for something else."
"Okay. I think." Something else he had said suddenly lodged in my mind. "Why did you tell him that I'm your fiancé?" We hadn't discussed marriage, or anything more than a nebulous sort of future.
"Because, you're mine, Sarah." His eyes went dark and serious. "I'm not good enough for you, and not at all the kind of man you should be with, but I'm not strong enough to give you up, either."
My heart pounded against my ribs with bruising force. "Are you sure that's what you want?"
His eyes darkened a little. "I'm very fucking sure. I know you have doubts, and I'll give you time to get used to the idea. But it's going to happen, Sarah." He smiled, and started to say something else, but his phone buzzed an interruption. "Fuck."
