Hanna
"Just made it," I said as I tossed my bag onto the couch and placed the three messages my family left at the motel on the small kitchen counter, the first raindrops beginning to plonk on the roof of Rand's trailer. I needed to call them and let them know I was okay.
After we'd arrived back from our ride on the Green Hell, and he'd garaged his bike, we'd gone directly to my car. Without thinking, I'd started to the passenger side, but as that was the side he was also angling to, I adjusted my path. It pleased me far more than it should have that he allowed me to drive my car.
The trip had been jerky, and I had a couple moments of panic as I had to deal with traffic while still trying to learn to use the clutch, but his constant, calm, encouragement kept me from freaking out.
I'd had to let him pay for my room since I spent so much on my car. Even had I put all the new parts for my car on Patrick's account as he suggested, the room would have strained my finances almost to the breaking point. I must have looked miserable because as we walked out, he reminded me that Doug had said '
we'll
put you up tonight,' and that the room was compliments of the Riders. That made me feel a little better that I wouldn't owe Rand even more money. After we left the motel, I even felt confident enough driving that we stopped for a few things at the market.
"Yeah, Rand said as he slid the box of cereal into the cabinet, and the beer and milk into the refrigerator. Now we wouldn't have to run out for breakfast in the morning. Closing the 'fridge door, he looked at me. "You okay?"
"I think so," I said, looking down. I was still smarting for accusing him of being like Carl. On the ride back from the Green Hell, I'd made myself a promise that, from that moment forward, unless he gave me a reason not to, I was going to believe he was every bit the good man he appeared to be. "I don't know what I am. I just want my life to go back to normal, whatever that is."
He pulled me into his embrace and held me warm and tight. God, how I needed that. Carl never held me without try to slip me his tongue, grabbing my breast or ass, trying to undress me, or worst of all, pushing me to my knees for me to suck his cock.
"It's only been a few days since the Orcas showed up, and only two days since we put the word out. You have to give it time to work."
"I know."
"Do I hear a but?"
I sighed. It was hard to let go of the guilt, but I was trying. "But it's the same shit as on the rock. I'm thinking about you when I feel like I should be thinking about Garrett. I know it's stupid. Driving around in the dark isn't going to do any good, and we've done all we can do until Carl shows up again, if he shows up again, but I feel like I should be doing something." I paused as the lump of fear that never left me grew slightly larger. "I guess that's the other thing that's bothering me. What if Carl doesn't come back? What if the Orcas don't come back? When do I stop waiting and start searching again?"
"Why wouldn't they come back? If they're interested in pushing us out, so far as they know, we don't have a clue."
"So what are they waiting on?"
Rand shrugged. "Don't know. Maybe they're waiting to see what we do after they leaned on Bryan."
"Maybe," I mumbled.
"I just wish I knew how Stu figures into this. It has to be the Orcas... it has to be... but why?"
I nodded slowly against his chest. "I don't know."
"Me either, other than maybe that was one less brother they would have to deal with, and it'd serve as a distraction. Especially if we'd thought it was just a crash."
"How do you suppose they knew?"
He shrugged. "They could have followed us out there. We were out there for almost two hours. Stu did a couple slow laps just to get a feel for the bike and for us to begin to dial it in. Well, slow as in fifteen, sixteen minutes. They had plenty of time to get setup."
"Dial it in?" I asked. I had a guess for that that meant, but I wasn't sure.
"Fine-tune the bike so he could go faster. Adjust the shocks and such."
I squirmed out of his embrace. "Do you think they'll try that again during the race?"
He shook his head. "Doubtful. Too many people around, and we'll have marshals scattered around the course. Actually, I'd like them to try. We'll have their ass for sure if they do, then they can experience what Stu did. I'll tie those bastards to the back of Stu's truck and drag their ass down the road and into a tree."
I shuddered. "Please don't say stuff like that."
He softened, but only slightly. "Sorry, but they're going to have to pay for that."
I swallowed hard. Maybe the BRMC wasn't that different from the Orcas after all. "You're not killers," I said, hoping he'd agree.
"No... but someone killed a member of my family in cold blood, and they have to answer for that."
"What about the police?"
"What about them? It's not like we can go to them and complain. Unless someone admitted to pulling the trigger, how would they ever prove it?" He paused for a moment. "No... the BRMC will handle this ourselves."
"How will you know who did it?"
"There are ways... things the police can't do."
I chilled. This was a side of Rand I'd never seen, and it was a little frightening. "I understand, but can't you just... I don't know... shoot them or something?"
He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "To quick. To Easy. To clean." My tingle of fear increased with his words, and he softened. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to scare you."
"Have you killed anyone before?"
He chuckled, softening even more with the hardness leaving his eyes. "No. Have you?"
I shook my head. "No... but then I didn't just threaten to kill someone by dragging them behind a truck."
He nodded, pursing his lips. "Maybe I shouldn't have said that, but it's how I feel. Anyone in the race could die, and we accept that. What I can't accept is some low-life bastard causing Stu to crash just because he can. If I find out who did it, they
will
pay for it, even if I don't drag them behind a truck."
I melted back into his chest and his arms surrounded me. Who was I to judge him? I'd cut Carl's balls off without a moment's hesitation or a second thought to get Garrett back. Was what Rand said that much different? Was his feelings over the loss of his friend at the hands of the Orcas any less real or valid? I didn't know if Carl was the one who pulled the trigger, or ordered it done, or was even involved with the shooting, but the sneaky, cruel, gratuitous nature of it wasn't beyond him. Once, when I was riding bitch with him, he'd followed a truck he'd thought cut him off in traffic into a parking lot. Rather than confronting the driver directly, he'd waited until the man was walking into the store before knifing a couple of his tires. Other times, he bragged to me about his exploits, regaling me with stories about how he'd taught someone a lesson. Hurting others seemed to be something he did to make himself feel bigger, but only if he didn't think he'd have to pay a price.
I decided that Rand's feelings were totally justified, and if it were Carl who'd killed his friend, whatever punishment Rand and the BRMC delt out would be well deserved... and I wouldn't lose a moment's sleep over it.
"Take me to bed?" I whispered into his chest.