His Loyal Rebel - Debra Kayn Page 0,4

his balls off.

She rolled over and buried her face in the pillow. Even that biker who'd shown up and told her to leave Missoula failed to see her.

She could've shot him, too. If she'd wanted to.

Her eyes burned behind her lids.

She needed more time. Time to make more money and bounce back from the situation she found herself in, again.

Serving pie and coffee all day long at Mama Jean's Pie Shoppe made it possible to live independently if she found a cheap enough place to rent.

But even her job was lonely.

The customers weren't there to see her. They wanted to eat. Apple pie was more important than her.

She needed to hang around other people instead of those at the Cusclan clubhouse.

She needed to find a man who put her first in his life. Sex was overrated. She wanted a meaningful relationship. Someone better than any man out there who would hold her and fight to be with her.

Her throat tightened. She sniffed, refusing to cry.

Chapter 3

Whip

Whip burst out of the Tarkio clubhouse. "Where's Ringtail?"

Frank, Slick, Wyatt, and Paco turned toward him. Someone had to have seen Ringtail leave.

"He's probably following his dick." Slick broke away from the others and lowered his voice. "He's been hanging out with that new blonde-haired girl that parties on the weekend."

"Fuck'n asshole." He shook his head. "He's supposed to work at Promise tonight and never showed up. Hammer has a full house and had to call Faye in. Curley's about ready to go off on everyone in sight. He wants her home. Now."

"She's pregnant, ain't she?" asked Slick.

"Yeah." Paco took his hands out of his pockets. "What's the chick's address? I'll go drag him away."

"She lives over on South Tenth. A white house with a picket fence falling down in the front yard. If he's there, you'll see his bike." Slick pointed to the southeast. "Past Pine Street."

"I'll get him." Whip stepped toward the long line of motorcycles. "If he drops by here while I'm gone, tell him to get his ass to the bar."

"Will do."

He grabbed his helmet, started his Harley, and rode out.

As a patched Tarkio member over the last two years, Ringtail knew better than to skip out when on the roster to work at one of the Tarkio businesses. Priest would dock his pay if he heard he never showed up to work his shift, like everybody else.

There was a time to party, enjoy women, and then a time for club business. But being a Tarkio meant every member was on the clock, twenty-four hours a day, every day of the year, for a lifetime.

If Ringtail fucked up, he'd regret the consequences.

He slowed on Tenth Street, scanning both sides of the road, looking for a white house. There were vehicles littered along the street, some he suspected hadn't moved for months.

Two kids ran out onto the road, waving at him as if he was in a fucking parade. He revved the engine, making them scatter back to the broken sidewalk.

Spotting Ringtail's motorcycle parked in the driveway of a small white house, barely big enough to fill the lot, he pulled over to the curb.

In the side mirror, the children ran toward him. He got off the bike, took off his helmet, and turned, ready to intercept the kids before they touched his Harley.

"Hey, mister." The tallest boy skidded to a stop. "Can we sit on your motorcycle?"

He studied the boys and took out his wallet. They weren't teenagers yet. Maybe eight or ten years old.

Holding two five-dollar bills in front of him, he met their gazes. They lived in one of the shittier neighborhoods. A lot of crime went down on the four blocks this side of town. Yet, he'd bet the boys knew how to hold their own and knew everything that went down in the neighborhood.

He held the cash out of reach of their grubby hands. "I need you both to watch my bike. Don't let anyone touch it, including both of you. Can you do that?"

Both boys nodded their heads. He handed them each a bill.

"If I come back and you're not standing here, I'll find you."

"We'll stay." The taller boy looked at his friend. "Won't we, Allan?"

Now that he knew his bike was safe, he walked up to the front door of the house. Music blared inside, and he kicked the bottom of the door, making sure whoever was inside would hear.

After several minutes, a young woman opened the door and backed away upon seeing him. Ringtail