Club Princess - Nicole James Page 0,8
you?”
I take a sip of my sweet tea and stare off, refusing to go down that road.
“I’ve hired some people to help me. They found a Melinda Ballard in Tupelo. They’re checking to see if she’s related to Mom. Could be a sister or aunt. I hope so. I haven’t been able to find any leads on my own.”
“Good luck.”
“Aren’t you at all interested?”
“Nope.”
“You know, maybe that’s why you can’t settle down, why you’re always out there traveling the roads, searching for something.” She flings her arm toward the street and I can tell she’s pissed by my indifference.
“I’m not searching for anything, Kayla. I’m happy with my life. It’s exactly how I want it. Look, I’m glad you have your happy little white picket fence life. Really, I’m thrilled for you. But stayin’ in one place,” I shake my head, “doesn’t interest me. As for the rest, trying to make a relationship work? Nah. That’s not me. Give me the open road any day.”
“You were always like that,” she says musingly.
“Like what?” I ask like an idiot, because I don’t really want to hear the answer.
“All the foster homes before we were split up. You were always standoffish. Never wanted to make friends or get close.”
“What was the point? We never stayed in one place long, did we?”
“And now you’ve arranged your whole life that way. Never staying anywhere long.”
“Maybe I don’t know how.”
“Bullshit. You’re just as capable of love as I am, and you need people just like the rest of us.”
“I’ve got my brothers for that.”
She rolls her eyes. “The MC? That’s not the same, and you know it. You need a woman, one who has your back no matter what, and a real place to come home to. That’s what its all about, Rafe.”
I shake my head. “Maybe for you. But I don’t need any of that. Maybe I never have.”
“Bullshit.”
I don’t want to argue with her, so I stand. “Give me a hug. I’ve got to get back on the road.”
She rolls her eyes, but stands. “There you go, proving my point.”
I chuckle and pull her in for a hug; her head just reaches to my chin. I pat her back and mutter, “It was good to see you, sis.”
She squeezes me tight. “You, too, brother. Don’t make it so long until next time.”
I nod, but make no promises. The life I lead, promises are hard to keep when it comes to family. I step off her front porch and head to my motorcycle parked at the curb under the shade of a big pecan tree.
“Ride safe, Ballard.” She calls me by our last name, waving.
I nod and fire the bike up, then roar off.
I head toward the interstate, but make a quick stop at a gas station to fill up. Five minutes later, I’m lifting the nozzle from my tank and screwing the cap on when my phone goes off.
I pull it out of my pocket and look down at the screen.
Rock.
I haven’t heard from the president of the Durango Chapter since I saw him last year. I put it to my ear. “Hey, man. How’s Colorado?”
“Fine. Talked to Knuckles at the New Orleans Chapter. He said you were down there last night.”
“Yeah, man. Left out this morning to ride over to Mississippi to see my sister and her new baby. What’s up?”
“How far from the Big Easy are you?”
“About two hours. Why?”
“My daughter’s run off. She’s headed to New Orleans.”
“Hell, Rock, I didn’t know you had a daughter. She run away often?” I ask as visions of a fifteen-year-old flash before my eyes.
“I’ve had to send several of my guys to go find her on more than one occasion. Since her mother died, she’s turned into quite a handful.”
“How old is she?”
“She just turned twenty.
I chuckle. “What do you want me to do about it? She’s an adult.”
“Find her. Bring her home. Do me this favor.”
“You’re joking, right?”
“I tracked my daughter’s phone.”
I whistle. “That’s some fucking stalker shit, Rock. She know you do that?”
“I don’t think so. Don’t give me any grief about it. Someday, if God gives you a daughter, you’ll understand.”
“Bite your tongue, old man.”
He chuckles in my ear. “Let me know when you get close, and I’ll pull her location again.”
“You’re serious about this shit?”
“As a heart attack, brother.”
“So, she checks into some hotel, you want me to just drag her out of there? She with a guy?”
“I don’t know. She might be. Are you headed back this way?”
“Yeah.”
“Do me